All The World I've Seen Before Me Passing By
by The Wanlorn
Summary: L/R CHapter TWELVE up! Umm. Oh, yeah, it's back to 'normal' for this chapter. No, Nire, I think...
1. He's Back!

**X-MEN**

Disclaimer:  Belong to me, the characters do not.  Does, only the plot.  To make sense, expect this not.

(A/N: Number 1, I know Rogue was 'about 17' in the movie, but if I had gone with that, it would've fucked everything up, seeing as how I figured that out as I was writing Chpt. 5 and watching the movie around 11pm.  Second of all, I've only read random pages of the comic books, whenever I could steal them from my friend, who treats them like his babies.  So I just have the movie to go on.  And, I will be best friends forever with anyone who can email me and tell me what proms are like.  Third, I have hundreds of questions, so some smart people should answer them for me, please.  Why is the Professor in a wheelchair?  Do these people have birthdays?  When are they?  What's the story of Logan's past?  Does Jean teach anything?  How about Logan and Rogue?  Does the Professor go on missions?  Didn't Cyclops die in one of the comic books, or was that in one of the fanfics?  What's the Danger Room?  Who's this Miss Marvel that seems to show up in a lot of the fics?  And the bracelet that helps Rogue control her powers?  That shows up a lot, too.  What was the boy's name in the beginning of the movie (NOT Magneto)?  What is the plot of the next movie and, more importantly, when is it coming out?  (Sorry, random questions) How come they don't wear spandex like regular superheroes?  (Don't answer that one) When is the next Drizzt book coming out?  (I'm getting tired - can you tell?) Why is Scott such a pansy?  (I have to agree with Logan, there)  What's Jubilee's power?  Is St. John the kid in the movie who made the fireball that Bobby turned to ice?  Because that would mean his talent isn't controlling fire, but gases.  HE had to light the ball of gas with his lighter to make it flame.  So… what's up with that?  It's almost midnight, where is my mother?  (Okay, I'm going to stop now) Someone, please answer the IMPORTANT questions, the ones that actually make sense, pretty please?  Does anyone know where I can buy a real cloak?  (Sorry, my mind has wandered to Faerûn) Has anyone noticed how, in 'Titan A.E.', the people are flat, with no shading at all, but the inanimate objects all look real?  Interesting…  Anyways, read, review, enjoy.  Toodles.)

**Chapter One - He's Back!**

Two years.  She had waited two years for him to come back.  No matter how hard she tried, she could not forget him, did not want to.  His dog tags were always around her neck, a reminder that he would be back - for them, if nothing else.  How she missed him!  Missed how he was always there for her, always knew what to say to her, the way he wasn't afraid to touch her.  She replayed that day on the train, when he had held her in his arms and told her he would protect her, over and over.  And after he had rescued her from Magneto, how she had woken up to being held in his arms, his lips pressed against her forehead.  He was willing to sacrifice himself to save her life.  Only the adults, the X-men, would touch her - Professor Xavier, Scott, Jean, and Ororo.  The rest shied away if she got too close.  Except Bobby - but she only liked him as a friend, nothing more.  He had tried for a while to convince her to go on a date with him, but her heart belonged forever to someone else.  And, of course, Jubilee and Kitty.  But those were the only three kids who would come near her.

Come to think of it, not even the adults had touched her more than a hand on her arm, except the Professor.  Of course, he was like a father to her, to all of them, and was telepathic.  So of course he knew how much she longed for simple things, like to be hugged when she was feeling bad.  She couldn't remember the last time anyone other than Logan had hugged her.

He was still in her head, Logan was.  The rest had faded before the year was out.  She had been so afraid he would, too.  But no, he stuck around in there.  She had taken on some of his traits, like a bit of his temper and his dirty language and his independence and inability to express feelings, but few noticed.

She never gave up hope that he would come back.  Not even when everyone was telling her he would never come back.  She knew, even if they didn't, that he would come back for at least his dog tags.  Still, she no longer woke up every single day, hoping and praying he would be downstairs, eating breakfast.  She still cried herself to sleep every night, but she knew he'd come back someday, just not someday soon.

So she was in total shock when she came down the stairs, and there he was, just come in the door.

  
*  *  *  *  *

He had been searching for some clue to his past for two years.  No, he couldn't lie to himself anymore.  It had become obvious, even to himself, that he was running.  From what, he didn't know.  The military compound had been a dead end.  There was absolutely nothing there that had helped him.  So, for two years he had been searching - running.  Now he found that his footsteps were heading increasingly towards New York.  He wanted to go home.

That thought brought him up short.  When had 'Mutant Academy', his name for Professor Xavier's school, become home?  And, more importantly, _when_ had he begun to think of the X-men as his family?  That was just…scary…

He actually _missed_ them all, even Scooter.  And Rogue…  He had promised to protect her, and how could he if he was so far away?

_What is with all this soul-searching?_ He thought.  _Christ!  I'm turning into a pansy like Scooter.  The Wolverine does not have feelings.  I've only got myself to worry about, and I like it that way._

Yet, he could not deny that he had feelings, and that was why he found himself roaring through the gates of the Academy on the bike he had purloined from Scott two years before.  He left it in the garage and went through the front doors.  Oh yes, he felt as though he were home, something he hadn't felt anywhere before.

The first person he saw, the first smell that hit his nostrils, was Marie.  He hadn't forgotten her smell - Ivory soap, too much clothing, and… her, that one smell that was hers and hers alone.  She stopped dead in her tracks, and Logan realized just how much he had missed her.  She was wearing a short-sleeved black shirt, black gloves that went up to her elbows, a short black skirt with black nylons, and a green silk scarf wrapped around her neck.  Almost the exact same outfit he had seen her last in.

_Don't you dare go all sentimental_, he warned himself.  "Hey kid," he said aloud, gruffly.

"Hey, yourself," she said in that cute southern drawl of hers.

He could see by the way she was leaning forward a bit, her arms out to the sides barely enough to be noticeable, that she really, really wanted to hug him, but was too afraid, too unused to be touched and touching others.

_Christ!_ He thought.  _Don't they ever touch her?  Hasn't anyone hugged her since I left?_  He wrapped her in his arms, feeling her stiffen in surprise for an instant before hugging him back.

"Missed ya, Marie."  Where had that come from?

"Ah missed ya, too."  She rested her head briefly on his shoulder, then pushed away.  Her hand went to her neck, and she took off his dog tags.  "Ah suppose you'll be wantin' these back, now?"  They dangled from her outstretched hand.  He was oddly touched that she still wore them.

He almost took them - they _where_ his only link to his past, after all - but, for some reason, he curled her fingers back around them.

"Keep 'em for now, so I'll know where to find 'em."

She smiled.  "Didja eat breakfast yet?"

He shook his head.

"C'mon, then.  Everybody else will be there - they'll all be so happy ta see ya!"

He seriously doubted that - he was sure they had been glad to be rid of him, the troublemaker - but he nodded agreeably and followed anyway.

  
*  *  *  *  *

She had wanted to hug him so bad when she saw him standing there, but couldn't.  She didn't think she could stand it if he flinched away like everyone else did.  But then, he solved that by hugging her.  She loved the feeling of his arms around her - she felt safe in his arms, and could feel their warmth, even through their clothes.  She had been Rogue - and only Rogue - for over a year now.  She had left Marie and everything that went with that life - except Logan - behind.  But when he called her Marie, she did not mind.  She offered him his dog tags back, even though she didn't want to give them up.  She could already feel a burn in the place where they used to hang.  Thankfully, he told her to keep them.  She immediately slipped them back around her neck and tucked them under her shirt.

She wanted to say so much, but didn't know how.  So, she walked with him to the dining room.  He casually slung an arm around her shoulders, as though she were just a normal girl, not one who killed with the mere touch of her skin.

"So, anything interesting happen since I've been gone?"

She told him a few quick stories as they walked, relishing the feeling of his arm on her shoulders.  When he saw Jean and Scott walking ahead of them, his arm dropped to his side and he grinned mischievously at her, one of his rare grins.

"Oh yeah, an' they got married."  She couldn't help but smile back at him as his grin widened at that.  She had an idea of what sort of mischief he was planning.  She had missed the constant rivalry between the two men, and was glad she was going to get to witness some so soon.

  
*  *  *  *  *

He noticed how she flinched away from the simple, friendly touch of an arm around her shoulder and cursed them all again.  He was determined to touch her every chance he got, make up for the two years of no human contact.

When he saw Jean and Scott up ahead, he could not resist the urge to stir up some trouble.  He saw an answering gleam in he eyes, one almost uncannily similar to his own.

"Hey!  Scooter!  Jeannie!  Long time no see!"

"Oh, great," he heard Scott mutter.

"So, Cyke, finally screwed up the courage to pop the question?  Or did Jean have to do it for you?  So sorry I missed the wedding."

"Welcome back, Logan," Jean smiled.

He winked suggestively at her.  "How 'bout giving up married life for just one night, beautiful?"

Scott opened his mouth to say something, but then snapped it shut.  Logan was a bit disappointed that he wouldn't get his welcoming fight.

_Leave him alone for now, Logan.  I need to speak with you.  Or, more accurately, you need to speak with me. _

_Stay out of my head, Professor. _

_Now, Logan. _

"I have to go talk to the Professor."  He made a face at Marie, making her giggle.  He would have done almost anything to make her laugh again!  This was nuts.  Why was he feeling this way?  "Catch ya later.  And think on that offer, Jean."  He leered at her and started away.

"Hey Logan," Scott's voice stopped him.  He hoped for that fight, even though he knew the Professor had probably just expressly forbidden it.  "Glad you're back."

Caught by surprise expecting the total opposite, he couldn't even think of a snappy comeback, so he just walked away.  He worked himself into a rage as he stamped to the Professor's office.

"Whaddaya want, Chuck?"

"Why, to welcome you home, Logan."

"Okay, number one, stay out of my head.  Two, that's bullshit.  Cut the crap.  What do you really want?"

"Number one," Professor Xavier mocked him, "I don't need to be in your head to see you consider this place home, and us your family.  Two, that really is one reason why I wanted to talk to you."

"So what's the other reason?"

"Did you find anything?"

Logan glared at him.  "Why don't you just look in my head," he sneered.  The Professor merely smiled and sat back in his wheelchair, until Logan gave in and answered.  "There was nothing there - it was just a bunch of broken down, burned-out old buildings, if that.  Not even a memory."

"And it took you two years to ascertain this?"

Logan shot him another glare.  "No, it didn't."

"So what were you doing?"

"None of your damned business."

The Professor nodded, respecting his privacy - or, at least, pretending to.  Logan couldn't be sure whether he was prying in his thoughts or not.

"How long are you planning on staying?"

"Why?"  Logan was suspicious.

"We need a new self-defense instructor.  You're the best one for the job."

"I've been here for less than an hour, and you're already trying to get me to _teach_?!  I think not."

"You need to earn your keep somehow."

"I'd rather leave."  Logan stood up to go.

"Sit down, Logan."  He sat.  "Would you really leave Rogue again?  After seeing how happy she was to see you?"  The Professor had struck a chord, and he knew it.  "She needs you."

"_Nobody_ needs me.  More importantly, I left Marie here in your care.  I figured she would be treated like a human being here.  I come back, and she acts like I am the first person to touch her since I left.  What the hell is wrong with you people?"

"Ah, Logan," the Professor said sadly.  "I cannot force people to touch what they fear, and I cannot help her if she does not come to me.  That is why she needs you."

"Fine, I'll take the damn job and teach the damn kids how to fight.  Are you sure there's no one else who could be doing this?"

The Professor smiled - he had known Logan would from the beginning.  "I'll make it easy for you - only the older students, one at a time, and you can start with Rogue."

"Gee, thanks," Logan said dryly and left quickly, before Xavier could say more.

_Your old room is till empty_

Logan changed directions from going to eat breakfast to going to put his bag in his room.  Yes, it felt good to be home.


	2. The Happiest Days of Her Life

(A/N:  People, for those idiots who think I actually have talent, NO MORE CHAPTERS UNTIL SOMEONE TELLS ME WHAT THE HELL A PROM IS LIKE.  Understand?  Thanks to all who answered my questions, but I still have some. Do these people have birthdays?  When are they?  What's the story of Logan's past?  Does Rogue teach anything?  And the bracelet that helps Rogue control her powers?  That's it for now.  Read and review.  Thanks!  Wait, one more, am I the only person on this earth who knows what 'wanlorn' means?  Should I, like, but that in my bio?  Addio!  Wait!  Hold on!  People, the spandex question was a JOKE!!!  When I added that, it was midnight!  My sense of humor is weird, most of the time, and after 36 hours without sleep, it's totally whacked.  It was a dumb joke off the joke in the movie.  So stop treating my like I'm an idiot!  Which I am… but that's a different story…)

**Chapter Two – The Happiest Days of Her Life**

Professor Charles Xavier watched Logan go.  He hoped that his meddling – matchmaking – would not be too obvious.  The X-men would definitely not approve of a Logan/Rogue pairing, but he knew it was right.  Anyone who looked could see that Rogue still loved Wolverine, no matter how much Jean tried to convince her it was just a crush.  Xavier had picked up from Logan's thoughts that he loved Rogue.  Unfortunately, that feeling scared him, and he had been trying to run from it for two years.

Of course, a self-defense teacher really was needed, and who better than Logan, who had been fighting in the cages for years?  Somebody had to teach those who the Professor was going to choose to be X-men how to fight.  Rogue was a definite, as soon as she graduated.  And who better to teach her – the only person who _would teach her – than Logan?_

  
*  *  *  *  *

He missed breakfast with everyone else, suspicious that the Professor for some reason had planned that, but the cook gave him one of the sandwiches being made for lunch.  He took it and stalked back to his room to sulk.  Maybe he'd take Scott's bike for a ride, just to piss him off.  Yes, that's what he'd do.

He got sidetracked when, going by Rogue's room, he could hear her talking within.

"Self-defense lessons," he heard her say sarcastically.  "Yeah, right.  More likely 'Let's see how many different ways we can flinch away from Rogue without makin' it look like we're flinchin'' lessons.  Who'd teach me?  Not like Ah need teachin'.  One touch an'-" Logan knocked on the door and she shut up immediately.  "Whaddaya want?"

"It's Logan, kid."  He couldn't really call her 'kid' anymore, could he?  She was definitely growing up.

"Door's open."

As Logan walked in, he was struck by how flustered she looked.  "Who're you talking to?"

"Mahself.  Can ya believe it?  Self-defense mah ass.  Ah won't learn nothin' in that – complete waste of mah time an' whoever's teachin' it."

"They didn't tell you who was teaching it?"

"Ah didn't ask," she shrugged.  "So, wha'd the Professor want?"

"To rope me into teaching a self-defense class."  That drawl was so cute when she was angry!  _Stop thinking like that! He admonished himself.  __For all you know, you could be her grandfather.  But it was so hard not to when she looked at him with almost hero-worship in her beautiful big brown eyes.  __Don't look at me like that, kid.  I'm nobody's hero.  You're better off without me.  "Can you believe that?  Me?  Teaching?  But, and I quote, 'I have to earn my keep somehow'."_

"If it's really that bad, Ah wouldn't want to-"

Logan waved his hand, cutting her off.  He kicked himself for bringing that look into her eyes.  "Nah, you, I can handle.  It's when he starts adding other people…"

A grin lit up Rogue's face.  "Ah can't wait ta see that."  She happened to glance at the clock and let out a string of swears she had learned from the Logan in her head.  "I'm late for History!  Storm's gonna kill me!"  She grabbed her books.  "See ya at one, Logan."

"What!  Why?"  He grabbed her shoulder before she could go anywhere.  "Shouldn't you be in school then?"

"Didn't they tell ya?"  He did not like the mischievous glint in her eyes.  "That's when you're supposed to be teaching me this self-defense shit.  You're supposed to start today.  See ya!"

Great.  He didn't even get one free day.  _This sucks, he thought to himself, heading for the garage.  He'd better get that fight – and that bike – out of Cyclops, or…_

  
*  *  *  *  *

He got his fight and his bike, and had a fun time roaring through the streets of New York.  It was really a great stress reliever, fighting with Scott was.  He roared back through the gates a little bit after one.  He was late. Too bad, it was only Rogue – she wouldn't mind.  When he parked his bike in the garage, Scott immediately rushed over to check 'his baby' for injuries.

Rogue was dressed in a skintight black outfit that covered everything but her head.  Logan all but started drooling at the sight of her.  _Stop it! He scolded himself.  __You're gawking at the kid.  Except, she definitely __wasn't a kid anymore.  Oh my god, when had he fallen in love with the kid?  No – the Wolverine does not love anyone but himself.  That was the rule of survival._

Logan stripped off his shirt.  "So, what?  All out brawl to see what you already know?"

"What?" Rogue had to tear her gaze away from his chest.  Damn!  It was not _fair that he was so sexy!  "Oh, yeah.  Sure."_

"Okay than."  Logan grabbed her long brown hair with the white streak that always fell over her facer and gave it a gently tug, then had her pinned before she knew it.  "All righty then," he said, holding her down by her shoulders.  "Rule number one, don't get distracted by your undeniably hot opponent."  She blushed slightly.  "Rule number two, keep your hair tied back so no one can grab it like that."  He relaxed his grip slightly.

_Wrong move, thought Rogue.  She flipped him over and sat on his chest as she tied her hair back.  "Rule number three, don't underestimate your opponent."_

He growled and she growled right back.  "Much cuter when you do it," he told her.  And when she blushed slightly again, he shoved her off and pinned her back down.  "Tsk, tsk.  You're letting your charming, sexy teacher distract you again."  _Why in the world am I taunting her like that?_

The next hour was filled with rough-and-tumble horseplay.  Neither was quite sure if any teaching was being done, or even _needed to be done, but they sure as hell had fun.  By the time 'class' was over, they both lay gasping on the floor, catching their breath._

"So, kid, they been treating you all right?"

She shrugged.  "Yeah, the X-men are cool."

"What about the other kids?"

She shrugged again.  "Kids are kids.  What can you expect?  'Cept Jubilee an' Kitty an' St. John an' Bobby.  He won't stop asking me out."  She rolled her eyes.

That earned her one of Logan's rare smiles.  "So why don't you just say 'yes' to get him off your back, if nothing else?"

Rogue laughed.  "Ah dunno.  So, ya stickin' around long?"

"I just got here this morning.  Of course I am."

"That's good.  Ah missed ya.  Everyone missed ya.  Even Cyclops, even though he won't admit it."

This was getting too in-depth emotionally for Logan.  "I gotta go take a shower.  See you later, Marie."  He ruffled her hair and escaped as quickly as he could.

  
*  *  *  *  *

"Professor, what are you doing?  Rogue doesn't need self-defense classes."

"I know."

"Did you know that half the time, they're taking 'field trips'?"

"Yes."

"I know Rogue's always loved Logan, but did you know that he's falling in love with her?"

"He's always loved Rogue.  Where do you think he was for those two years? He was running from his feelings."

"You're encouraging this?!?!"

"Yes I am.  She needs him.  I'm just waiting for him to figure out he needs her."

"Professor…"

"Don't meddle, Scott."

"But why Logan, of all people?  I mean, as far as we know, he could be as old as her grandfather.  And he's not exactly the best influence." 

"I know what I'm doing.  Rogue will tame him, I'm sure of it."

"How do you know he's not going to use her and discard her like just another one of the women he's been with before?"

"Number one, he's never loved any of them.  Number two, how do you think I know?  Logan wouldn't do that to Rogue.  Do you know how angry he was because nobody's really touched her in two years?  No, no, I'm not blaming you.  It is a very disturbing power, I know."

"I hope you know what you're doing."

"Oh, I do."

  
*  *  *  *  *

After the first week, they stopped having real classes.  There was little Logan could really teach Rogue - she knew most of it already.  So, they would horse around for fifteen minutes, half and hour, and then take off until the rest of the school was out.  The first thing he did was teach her how to ride a motorcycle.  He relished the feeling of her arms around his waist, the wind whipping through their hair.  They cruised around the back roads for half an hour, and then came back.  After that, they took the bike out almost every day and went somewhere.  Scott gave up protesting that it was his bike and they couldn't leave in the middle of school.  Logan and Rogue came up with some pretty brilliant excuses as to why a certain trip was necessary, and after a few rousing battles in front of his students, Scott gave up.  After all, he did have the other bike he had made after Logan had left with the first one.

So, they would wrestle for a little bit first - neither of them could deny that they loved rolling around on the floor together.  Then they would just leave.  Sometimes to a movie, sometimes out for ice-cream, sometimes Logan would drop Rogue off at the mall, and sometimes they would just ride around.  Rogue suspected that the Professor had had something like this in mind, but she did not care.  Logan, of course, was totally oblivious.  He was having fun with his friend - and realizing more and more every day just how much he loved her.

Every single day, Logan had to remind himself that Marie did not need someone like him in her life the way he wanted to be in it.  He was trouble and bad news, and he knew it.  But it was so hard, especially when she looked at him and the love was apparent in her eyes.  And, his feelings scared him.  He had never felt anything like this before, and certainly nothing as strong.  It was like, when she looked at him with those huge brown eyes, the world stopped turning and he would do anything she asked.

  
*  *  *  *  *

The next three months were the happiest of Rogue's life.  Her life was as perfect as she thought it would ever be.  She had that one hour a day when she was normal.  Logan did not care about her power, and treated her like a normal kid.  Unfortunately, that was all he would ever see her as - a kid.  But, for that one hour, nobody flinched away from her, and she had the man she loved all to herself, regardless of the fact she was 'just a friend' to him.

And then, she woke up three months and a week after he had come back into her life, and he was gone.


	3. Gone and Back Again

(A/N: Too tired to think of stupid comments.  Know what?  'Batman' on TVLand is live people, but 'Batman' on CartoonNetwork is a cartoon.  Go figue.  Hehehe.  Those are funny shows.  They're so old and corny… I love 'em!  My bro's home for the 1st time in 3 years.  Nothing good to say, don't have enough time.  R/R, por favor.  Addio!)

**Chapter Three - Gone and Back Again**

When Marie woke, it felt like just another normal day.  She dresses, already impatient for one o'clock to come.  She had finally worn Logan down and he had agreed to take her to see a movie she had been wanting to see.  Of course, he had complained ever since then that she was dragging him to see some 'stupid chick flick', but she was touched that he had agreed.  She knew that he would never be caught dead in a million years going to a movie like that, and yet he was going with her.  Maybe she wasn't just 'the kid' to him… or maybe he was just trying to get her to shut up.

_Rogue, I need to see you in my office. _

_Right away, Professor.   _What in the world could he want?  Oh no, maybe she had totally bombed that test they had taken.  Or maybe it was because of all those unauthorized 'fieldtrips' she and Logan had taken.

She hurried up to the Professor's office.  The door was open and he motioned her in.  She did not like the look on his face.

"Rogue, I regret to inform you that all of your self-defense classes from now until an indefinite period of time have been canceled."

"Wait.  If this is 'cause of all those 'fieldtrips', we'll stop, Ah swear, Ah promise, not one more."

"No, it's not because of those."  He wheeled his wheelchair out from behind his desk.  "I actually think those were good for you.  No, it is because Logan isn't here anymore."

"Well, where did he go?"

"I do not know.  I could use Cerebro to find him, but it would be better if he came back on his own."

"Why…?"  She would _not_ cry.  Not matter what he said, she _would not cry_.

"I think it would be better if you waited for him to come back and tell you."

"No."  She was angry now.  "You know he never tells anyone anything."  The Logan in her brain said it was because he was scared.  But of what?  "You'd be the only one ta know, bein' telepathic an' all."

The Professor sighed.  "I'm sorry Rogue.  I can't tell you."

"Why?"

"Because it's not my business.  I'm sorry.  Now from one o'clock on is a free period."

"Whatever."  She walked out, something that she would never had done, had Logan not been in her head.  She would have to move fast if she was going to get to class on time.  Tonight she would bawl her brains out.  But right now, she pushed the thought of Logan being gone to the back of her mind.

  
*  *  *  *  *

He had to leave - he had promised to protect her.  How was he to know then that the greatest danger was to be from him?  With all the shit that was going on in her life, the last thing she needed was him.  But when she looked at him like he was her knight in shining armor, his heart just melted.  That hard-as-rock protective coating he had formed melted with just one look.  He couldn't stay any longer - he was running again.

Yet, he couldn't stay away.  Inexorably, he found himself pulled back.  To be quite honest, that was where he was happiest.  Especially when he was pissing off Scott.  Or when he was with Rogue… cruising on his bike… hanging out… going to the movies…

So he ran for two months, and then he found himself back at the Academy.  He didn't remember heading back, but there he was.  He checked his watch and saw that it was one-thirty.  That was good - everyone would still be in school.

_Hey Chuck!  You listening to my thoughts? _

_Yes, Logan.  And yes, your room is still yours.  Watch out for Rogue.  She's pretty mad at you.  Especially for missing Christmas. _

_I sent her a couple silk shirts.  But thanks for the warning, _he thought dryly.  How mad could she get?

_You'd be surprised. _

Logan rolled his eyes and went to his room.  Maybe she _was _really mad at him.  After all, he _had_ promised to take her to see that stupid chick flick, and then skipped out.  Still, how mad could she get?  She was too cute to get too angry.  Well, it was time to put that idea to the test - he could smell her coming.

"Hey kid," he said as she walked past his door.  The next instant, he was wrapped in a ginat bear hug.  "Hey…!"

She immediately let go and backed away.  There was a quaver in her voice as she said, "Don't worry.  Ah made sure only ta hit clothin'."

Logan raised and eyebrow.  "I was more concerned about the fact that I couldn't breathe."

Marie smiled slightly, then her face hardened.  "So, where'd ya go?"

Logan shrugged.  "For a scenic motorcycle ride around New York."

"Why?"

"Because I hear there was a mutant doctor who might know something of my past."  That was true in a roundabout way.  He had heard of the doctor after he had left.

The semi-truth seemed to soften her for a minute.  "Didja find anythin'?"  Logan shook his head.  "Ah'm sorry."

He shrugged.  "I wasn't expecting to find anything."

Her face hardened again.  "So you leave in the middle of the night without telling anyone?  Don't you think it could have waited until morning so you could at least say goodbye to your friends?"  She had slowly backed him up against the wall and was stabbing a gloved finger at his chest.  It was really quite a comical scene, that little thing having a huge hulking brute cringing against the wall.  "Or have ya just been able to fool me into thinkin' ya aren't the cold-hearted bastard everyone says ya are?"

"I'm sorry, Marie.  I…" How could he tell her that if he saw her before he left, if he let her look at him with those pleading eyes, he would never be able to leave?

She backed away and cut him off.  "No, never mind.  Ah'm just a kid - ya don't have ta tell me if ya decide ta leave for a while.  Ah have no right ta ask.  Sorry.  Ah have ta go.  Welcome back."  She started to walk out.

_Shit, kid, don't look at me like that.  How do you do that?_  He leapt across the room and grabbed her shoulder before she could get fully out the door.  "Wait, Marie.  You're right."  How in the world did she get him to admit when he was wrong?  "I should have told at least you that I was leaving.  I'm sorry."  My god, was he _apologizing_?  The Wolverine never apologized to anybody!  Yet this little slip of a girl could make him do it.  "I know I promised to take you to see that stupid chick flick you wanted to see so bad, and I could have at least waited until after that.  Look, I'll make it up to you."  What was he saying?  How did she do that to him?  But he couldn't stand to see her mad at him.  "I'll take you to see any two movies you want, and I'll pay for it all."  What was he saying?  "Deal?"

"Ah don't care about the fuckin' movie!  Ah care that you're basically the only one around here Ah see on a regular basis and treat me like a human bein'!  Ah care that the one person who Ah can actually talk ta disappeared without a word!  Ah care that ya didn't even come back for Christmas!"  She was crying now, the tears running down her face.  Logan pulled her into his arms, and she cried on his shoulder.  "Ah care that for two years Ah didn't hear a thing from ya, didn't know if ya where dead or somethin' just as bad.  Ah care that, for all Ah knew, ya were gonna be gone for another two years. Ah care that now every mornin' when Ah wake up Ah'm gonna worry that you'll be gone again."

"I'm sorry.  I'm so sorry.  I promise I'll never leave again without telling you.  Just tell me what I can do to make it up to you."  _Don't cry, darlin'.  It makes my heart break when you cry, even worse when I know I've caused it._

She sniffed and looked up at his face.  "Any two movies?"

What had he gotten himself into?  Did he even care?  "Yeah, kid.  Anything.  You're going to make them both sappy chick flicks, just to torture me, aren't you."

"Maybe.  You sure deserve it."  She pushed away and wiped her face on her sleeve.  "There's one starting in half and hour, I think."

"Don't you have class or something?"

"Nah.  Ah had a study for 'an indefinite period of time'.  Now that you're back, Ah immediately start mah 'self defense' classes again."  She smiled sweetly up at him.

"All right, fine.  Let's go."  Logan grabbed the leather jacket he had just taken off.  "Where the hell did you learn to chew people out so good?" he asked conversationally after she had washed her face and they were walking to his bike.  "That's not the Marie I remember."

"Yeah, well, the Logan that's still in mah head gave me some pointers."

Logan flashed her one of his rare, crooked grins.  "It's an improvement."

She laughed.  "That's not what the others think."

During the movie - it wasn't as stupid as Logan thought it would be - he had to strongly resist the urge to put his arm around her shoulders.  That would just be wrong.  It was quite all right when they were sitting on the couch at the mansion, but at the theater…  When they were buying snacks, she smiled an evil little smile at him and ordered a super-large drink and popcorn, and a bag of Skittles.

"There's no way you're going to be able to eat all that."

She smiled sweetly at him.  "How do you know?  Maybe Ah will."

"And maybe pigs will fly."

Logan would have gone to see another movie, except, as luck would have it, nothing else was starting anywhere near the same time.  So he sat through the stupid chick flick, munching on Marie's popcorn.  Of course she couldn't eat it all - she had just gotten it to piss him off.  The few times they went for popcorn at the same time and their hands touched, Marie flinched away as if, even though she had gloves on, she would still hurt him.  She still wasn't used to random, casual touches.  He resolved to make her used to them, at least from him.

"Marie, chill out.  You've got gloves on."

She smiled at him, and he could see the shadowed sadness in her eyes.  Ack!  No!  He could feel his heart melting!  Put the rock layer back!  Put it back!

"Habit, ya know."

"Well, not with me."  _How do you do that to me, kid?  One look with those pain-filled eyes, eyes too old for someone so young, and all my defenses are down.  But that's wrong.  As far as I know, I'm at least twice your age.  I'm a sick, dirty old man, kid.  I'd leave, except Chuck's right - you do need someone who will treat you normal, and for now, I guess that's only me.  But I love you, kid, more than is right.  Thank God you're not a mind reader.  Chuck and Jean better stay out of that part of my thoughts._

The movie ended, and he was right - she didn't finish anything.  A waste of money, yes, but she was worth it a hundred times over.

"I'm not stopping fifty times on the way home so you can go to the bathroom."  She had downed a whole lot of that soda, and had just come out of the restroom.  "Do you want to go anywhere else?"

"Not unless you plan on going anywhere."  She smiled at him.  _Don't look at me like that, kid.  "Thanks, Logan.  Ah know ya never woulda been caught dead at a movie like that…"  He could have just waited in the lobby, or made her wait until a movie he wanted to see got done.  But, no, he had watched it with her.  That had brought her almost to tears - nobody had cared that much in a long time.  Then he had told her to stop being an idiot when she kept flinching away.  But it wasn't her fault.  Nobody but the X-men and him would touch her, and Logan was the only one who didn't flinch away when she brushed against him.  So it had become second nature to jerk back from any contact.  It didn't matter whether it was intentional or not, she would flinch.  And she __never touched a__nybody.  But, apparently, Logan was determined to change that, and she loved him all the more for it._

That brought her to more, less happy thoughts as she climbed on the bike behind him, wrapping her arms around his waist.  Although she may love him with all her heart - she doubted she could ever give herself fully to another - there was no possible way he would every love her back.  She knew what kind of women he went for.  They were all thin, well-endowed redheads.  He would never see her as more than a friend and a little sister to be protected.  She was faintly jealous of Dr. Gray - Logan was always flirting with her.  But if all she could get was his friendship, then she wasn't going to take that for granted.

  
*  *  *  *  *

It took him months, but Logan finally got Rogue used to him touching her.  She no longer flinched away from him, no matter how random or accidental it was.  Admittedly, she never touched him - he figured that would take a few more months, at least - but if it was accidental, she didn't jerk away.  He figured that was a big step.

They had to start limiting their daily outings to cheap things because Logan was getting seriously low on cash.  He'd have to start asking the Professor to pay him for 'teaching' Rogue.

Logan started renting movies to watch with Rogue on Saturday nights.  The mansion was almost empty then - everybody was either at parties or had dates.  Rogue, of course, never had a date - she steadfastly turned down all the offers from Bobby - and she was seldom invited to parties.  Logan didn't have much of an interest in women, anymore - as scary as that was.  He couldn't go on a date anymore without imagining that the woman was Rogue.  He considered leaving again many times, but every time he did, he remembered how happy Rogue was when he came back, and couldn't do it.  What were the odds he would have to protect her form himself?  But, she was sweet, funny, smart, beautiful, his best friend - his first friend in a long time - his sister, his kid, and so much more.  She made him feel needed, wanted, and special.  But, gods!  He was a sick, dirty, lecherous old man, to even be thinking sick thoughts.

He was in the weight room, working out, thinking about all this.  He realized that his body was slicked over with sweat.  He had been working out harder than usual and was boiling hot.  He needed either an ice-cold shower or a swim.  A swim sounded pleasantly refreshing, so he placed the barbells into their slots with a _chink and went back to his room and changed into his swim trunks.  There was no one in the pool for once, and he dived in.  The water was cool and refreshing.  It felt great, slipping like silk over his body.  He dove toward the bottom of the pool.  As he reached the bottom, he faintly heard the door open.  He gathered his feet under him and shoved himself towards the surface.  As he erupted in the middle of a huge geyser of water, he heard the satisfying gasp of whoever it was - Marie.  He could smell Marie._

"Sorry.  Ah didn't know anyone was in here."  Yes, that was definitely her southern drawl.  He wiped the water out of his eyes in time to see her open the door to leave.

"Where ya goin', kid?"

"Back ta mah room."

"Looks like you were coming down here for a swim."

"Ah was, but…"

Logan rolled his eyes.  "Go out on your bathing suit and jump in.  It's nice."

"But…"

"Oh, for Chrissakes, Marie.  It's me, Logan, remember?  I don't care.  If you were going to take a swim, then go ahead.  I'm not getting out, but that doesn't mean that you can't get in."

Marie rolled her eyes, trying hard not to cry.  "Only you would get pissed at me because Ah'm afraid of hurtin' ya."

Logan snorted.  "That's right.  Now either get in, or I'll throw you in.  Understand?"

"Okay, okay."  She disappeared into the bathroom to change.  When she came back out, she was wearing a black bathing suit that didn't leave even an inch of extra skin showing.  It had a higher back than most bathing suits, and the front was pretty high-cut.  Even so, damn was she sexy!

She stood at the side of the pool hesitantly, still not sure if he really meant it.  Logan sighed exasperatedly.  Before she noticed what he was doing, he had jumped up to sit on the side of the pool right next to her, shoved her in, and jumped back in.

She shrieked as she started to fall.  "What the hell?!?!" she came up spluttering.

Logan laughed.  "I told you I'd push you in."  He started to swim laps around the pool, still laughing.

Marie glared at him for a minute, and then she started to laugh.  She swam around, too, studiously avoiding coming close to Logan.  She was still very nervous.  This was the most skin she had ever bared around anyone for years, so of course she was nervous.  Logan took note of this.  He waited until she had got semi-comfortable, and was swimming around the shallow end.  When she was right at the edge of the drop-off to the deep end, he snuck up behind her, not that easy in water, and grabbed her around the waist, tossing her into the deep end.  She flinched when he grabbed her and squealed when he threw her.

"Hey!"  She splashed him, mostly to cover up her shaking.  That had really scared her.

"Hey, what?"  He splashed her back.

"Hey, what if ya had hit skin?"  She splashed him again, a little harder.

He grinned devilishly at her.  "Well I didn't.  Don't worry, I'm not stupid."  He splashed her back again.

"Well Ah _do worry.  Don't __do that, Logan."_

"You're too uptight, kid."

At that point, an all-out water-fight broke out.  They dodged around the pool, laughing and splashing each other.  They were having a grand old time, getting water all over the place, when they head Scott clear his throat disapprovingly.

"Whaddaya want, One-Eye?"

"The Professor wants to see you now."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever.  Tell Wheels I'll see him sometime today."

Logan glanced at Marie and winked roguishly.  As one, they turned to Scott and started splashing him.  Before he could gather his wits together enough to leave, he was soaking wet.

"I'll get you back from this, Logan!" he yelled from safety.

"Sure you will, Cyke.  I'd love to see that day."  Logan grinned lopsidedly at Marie.

They resumed their water-fight.  Marie hadn't been able to interact with anyone in the pool since she had gotten to the mansion.  She had missed out on all those fun games because nobody would swim with her, and vice versa.  Now, she was having fun again.

Logan, of course, had to ruin it.  He got too close, and his arm brushed against her shoulder.  The tingling of her power had just started when they both jerked away.  Logan just moved away enough so their skin wasn't touching.  Marie, however, jerked as far away as she could, and backpedaled, putting more water between them.

Her eyes immediately filled with tears.  "Ah- Ah'm sorry, Logan.  Ah didn't- Ah'd better get out."

"Don't cry, darlin'."  Shit!  How had that popped out?  He only called her that in his head!  "It wasn't your fault, or mine, it was an accident.  I'm none the worse for the wear."

"It's too dangerous."

Logan sighed and growled softly.  "Look, if you lived your life by how dangerous something was, you wouldn't be here.  You wouldn't have met me.  Plus, imagine Scooter's face when he comes back in to remind me Wheels wants me and sees the mess we've made."

He was inching closer and closer to her as he talked.  Luckily, she didn't notice, and he was able to toss her back into the middle of the pool.  She came up splashing at him, her worries almost forgotten.  Almost.  She stayed as far away from him as was possible and still be able to splash good.

He was underwater, swimming up behind her, and he heard the door open.  He figured it was just Scooter, so he didn't stop, and erupted up behind Rogue, grabbing her suit-covered waist and throwing her into the deep end again,

"Logan!" she shrieked before she splashed into the water.

He realized that wasn't Scott's smell, but the Professor's.  "Hey, Wheels.  You coming for a swim, too?"

"You two do realize you're going to clean this mess up, right?"  The Professor tried to look serious, but he couldn't prevent a small smile from gracing his lips.  Rogue looked happier than she had in a long time.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever."  Logan climbed out of the pool and grabbed his towel.  "I suppose you're down here because you need to talk to me oh so urgently?  So urgent that you needed to come personally instead of just calling me?"

"I've been calling you for the past hour, and you've been ignoring me."

Logan shrugged and scowled.  "I was busy."

"Very busy, I see.  Scott did not appreciate getting soaked, and is plotting revenge right now.  Was that part of being busy?  So, please dry off and come to my office.  I need to discuss new additions to your class, among other things.  After we are done, you can come back down here and help Rogue clean up."

The Logan in Rogue's head was contemplating how the Professor would react to the same treatment Cyclops got.  "Don't even think about it, Logan," she warned him as the Professor was leaving.

"What?  Are you some sort of fledgling mind-reader now?"  The door closed and Rogue got out of the pool.  Logan handed her her towel.  She took it carefully from his hand and stood a ways away from him.

"No, you're still in mah head."  She shrugged.  "Ya were thinkin' along the lines of givin' him the same treatment as Mr. Summers, right?"

He grinned an gave her a quick, one-armed hug, even though she flinched away.  But he was no fool - the towel was wrapped around her shoulders.  "Yep, I was.  See ya later, kid.  Gotta go find out just who Wheels is adding to me class."

He walked back to his room to get dressed.  What the hell did Wheels want, anyways?  There was something more than what he was telling, something Logan could tell he wouldn't like…


	4. A Strange New Girl

**Chapter Four - A Strange New Girl**

"No.  No, no, no, no, no, no, no."

"They're good kids, they'll listen to you - they're terrified of you."

"As well they should be.  What happened to 'only one person at a time'?"

"Don't worry, Kitty and Bobby won't be difficult.  No one would because everyone's afraid of you and your temper."

"No."

"Yes.  End of discussion.  They start Monday."

"I can't believe this," Logan muttered.  The Professor had just informed him that he was adding two more to Logan's self-defense class - Bobby and Kitty.  Now, he would have to start holding real classes.  This sucked.  He expressed that sentiment.  "This sucks.  What else do you want?"

"To discuss you joining the X-men team."

"What if I don't want to?"

"That's what we're discussing."

"Well I don't."

"So I gathered from the expression on your face.  But we need someone of your fighting ability."

"I don't care."

"You would get to fight real enemies more often."

"I'd have to wear a pansy uniform."

"Rogue's joining as soon as she graduates.  I've already talked to her.  Wouldn't you feel better if you went along on the missions and knew she was okay?"

That changed everything.  Damn him!  "Well… Maybe.  Do I have to take orders from Scooter?"

"He's the team leader when I'm not there."

"Great.  Take orders from a pansy."

"Good.  See Scott about getting a 'pansy' uniform."

"Wait a goddamned second," Logan growled.  "I haven't agreed yet."

The Professor just smiled.  "You did as soon as I said Rogue was on the team."

"Stay the hell out of my head."  Logan stalked out of the Professor's office, muttering, "Scooter's gonna have a field day with this."

  
*  *  *  *  *

He was right, Scott was having a field day.  Logan finally just snatched his uniform and stormed up to his room.  Everybody who was in the halls flattened against the wall as he stormed past.  HE threw the uniform into his closet and flopped down on his bed.  He pulled out his copy of Great Expectations from where he hid all his books.  If anyone ever found out that, number one, he knew how to read, and number two, he only read the classics, he would probably die of embarrassment.  He needed to calm down, and hopefully, this would help.

"Great Expectations?"

Logan snapped the book closed.  Damn, he hadn't heard Rogue come in.  What were the odds?

"What?" he growled.  "You got a problem with that?"

"Down, boy," she grinned.

"If you tell anyone…"

"Don't worry, Ah won't.  Your dirty secret is safe with me.  But could ya imagine Mr. Summers' face if ya started droppin' lines from classics in your arguments?"

"Well I prefer people thinking I'm the brawn without the brains.  So why are you here?"

"Oh, Ah was walkin' by an' Ah saw all the traumatized people.  Ah knew it musta been you, so Ah came ta see what was wrong."  Logan arched an eyebrow.  "Well, when ya have a whole hall of people quakin' in their shoes, Ah start ta worry."

Logan got on his knees and pulled his box of books out from its hiding place under his bed and put it on top of his sheets.  "Wheels convinced me to join the X-Geeks team.  One-Eye's giving me hell about it."

He lifted the layer of concealing clothes off his books.  Before he could stop her, Rogue had grabbed the box and was digging through it.  Most of them were new - he couldn't really bring much in his trailer, and then it had blown up.  All he had managed to save - and keep over the past two years - was his dog-eared copy of - no, it was too embarrassing even to think about.  Oh no no no.  She was pulling it out.

"Rome and Juliet?  Looks like it's been read a lot.  Ah never woulda pinned ya for a closet hopeless romantic."

"I'm not," he growled at her, a growl that would have sent anyone else quaking back against the wall.  Of course, Rogue just smiled.

"Mr. Summers would think he'd died an' gone to heaven if he found out."

"Don't.  You.  Dare," He ground out.

She smiled sweetly at him.  "Don't worry, Ah won't.  But now Ah know who to come to when AH need help on mah English homework."

"Don't you dare tell anyone else…"

She smiled sweetly once more and gave him back his box.  "So now you're one of the X-Geeks?"

Logan repacked his clothes and shoved the box back under his bed.  "Yeah."

"Cool.  So am Ah, when I graduate.  Only two more months to go.  An' guess what!  Ah'm pretty sure Ah'm gonna be valedictorian!"

"That's great!  So, who's taking you to the prom?"  Logan was jealous, even though he didn't want to admit it.  He wanted to take her.  _Stop thinking like that, damn it!  She's just a kid compared to you!_

The happy shine faded from her face and her eyes dropped.  "Ah'm not goin'."

"Why not?  Didn't that Bobby kid ask you?"

"Yeah, but Ah turned him down.  Now he's goin' with Kitty.  No, Ah'd make too many people uncomfortable.  Don't even try, Logan.  Everyone else has already tried ta convince me ta go."

"Ah, but none had the charm I do.  Who gives a shit if you're gonna make a couple of assholes uncomfortable?  It's not like you're going to get another chance to go to your senior prom."

In truth, she was regretting the decision, now.  "Well, who would go with me now?  I can't go alone."

Dream come true for Logan!  "I'll take you.  I'm the only adult not going, you're the only senior.  It makes sense."

"You'd do that for me?"

"Sure I would, darlin'.  You deserve it.  If it weren't here, I'd show up at your door with a limo.  You'll get the works."

Marie still looked unsure.  Did she want to stay in her room - and feel sorry for herself all night - or did she want to go with Logan?  That was certainly a dream come true.  And he wouldn't really be taking her out of pity but because he was a good friend - at least, that was what the Logan in her head was saying.

_Aren't you two supposed to be cleaning up the poolroom?_

"Think on it, kid," Logan told her.

"Okay.  We'd probably better listen ta the Professor, now."

"Oh, make him wait a bit."

"Logan, just 'cause ya don't mind getting' in trouble doesn't mean Ah don't.  Make me do all the work if ya want, but Ah'm goin' now."

Logan trailed down the hall after Marie.  He shot glares at everyone who went by, making them cringe against the wall.  They were mostly little kids, not even thirteen yet.  He was so intent on scaring everyone who passed that he didn't notice Marie had stopped in front of him and ran into her.

"Oof!  Why'd you stop?"

She stood before him, hands on her hips, with a glare to rival his own.  "Stop scarin' the little kids, Logan."

"I'm not," he protested, even though he knew full well that he was.

"Yes ya are, an' ya know it.  Quit it an' leave 'em alone."

"You ruin all my fun," he muttered.

"Marie just smiled sweetly at him and resumed walking.  She was probably the only person in the world who Logan would listen to.  He tried to shoot one more glare at the closest kid, but Marie somehow sensed it and said, "Knock it off."  Logan had no choice but to growl and follow her.

  
*  *  *  *  *

"Argh!  This sucks!"

"What sucks?" Logan stuck his head in Rogue's door.

"This stupid, retarded English homework!"

"Well what is it?"

"Ah have ta read a passage from Twelfth Night and rewrite it in my own words.  That's freshmen stuff, an' they're makin' seniors do it!  An' the sad thing is, Ah can't do it!"

"Let me see."  Logan took the book from her hand and she pointed out what she was supposed to be doing.  He read it quickly, then explained it to her.  "Antonio thinks that Viola is really her brother, Sebastian.  He's saying that he saved her and defended her.  Then, when he was arrested, she denied knowing him.  Viola has no clue what he's talking about because she really doesn't know him."

"Mah Gawd, how do ya do that?"

He shrugged.  "I don't know, I just do.  Do you want the rest?"

She nodded eagerly and he resumed reading and explaining.  Rogue had her English homework done in record time.  Logan sat on her chair while she finished the rest of it, flipping through the book and reading some of the better parts.

"Hey Logan?" Rogue's voice broke the silence.

"Hey what?"

"Where ya serious the other day?"

"Which other day?"

"When ya said…" she paused.  "When ya said ya'd be willin' ta take me ta the prom?"

Logan put down the book.  "Uh huh."

"Really?  Ya wouldn't mind?"

"Really, kid.  I wouldn't mind.  Why?  Do you want to go?"

"Yeah, Ah do."

"Okay.  Do you want me to drive you and your friends to the mall to get dresses."

"They already got theirs a long time ago.  It would just be me."

"You don't want your friends to give you opinions?  I'm sure Yellow Jacket has tons of them."

"Nah.  Can we go next weekend?"

"Sure, kid."

"Hey Roguey!"  Jubilee - Yellow Jacket - bounced into the room.

"See ya later, kid."  Logan made a quick escape.  He couldn't stand Jubilee - she was too bouncy and didn't listen to him when he told her to scram.  She wasn't scared of him, and that pissed him off.  HE heard Jubilee ask, "So?  Are you going with Wolvie?"  Then he was too far away to hear more.

  
*  *  *  *  *

"So?  Are you going with Logan?"  Jubilee bounced around Rogue's room.

Kitty walked through the door.  "Yeah.  Are you?"

"C'mon chica!  Give us the goods!"

Kitty sat on the side of the bed.  "We all know you've got a major crush on Logan."

"Yeah!"  Jubilee finally settled on the chair Logan had just vacated.  "And Kitty's getting to go with Bobby," Kitty blushed slightly, "so…?"

"Well if ya would let me talk…" The two shut up immediately.  "Yeah, Ah'm goin' with him."

"You go girl!" Jubilee interrupted.

"Look, ya guys.  It's just as friends.  Gawd, it's Logan."

"It's a step up, Roguey."

"Yeah."  Kitty smiled at her.  "We're both working our way up."

"Difference is, ya actually have a chance with Bobby.  Logan'll never see me as anythin' more than 'the kid'.  Remember that."

"But he's taking you to the prom."

"Because he's mah _friend_, Jubilee.  He wasn't gonna go, an' Ah wasn't."

Jubilee sighed in disgust.  "Whatever, Roguey.  Hey!  When're you gonna get your dress?  Let's the three of us go right now!"

"Nah, Ah wanna go alone."

"How're you gonna get there, you who can't pass the written drivers test?"

"Shut up!  The thing's evil.  It's not mah fault.  An' Logan'll drop me off next weekend."

"Why don't you want our help?" Jubilee pouted.

Kitty smacked her.  "Because Logan can't stand you, duh!"

"Who, me?  But I'm not that bad!  Who wouldn't like lil' ol' me?"

"Everybody!" Rogue and Kitty chorused.

"_Besides_ them!  Hey, Roguey, are your parents coming to the graduation?"

"Jubilation Lee!" Kitty exclaimed.

"Don't worry, Kitty.  She's Jubilee - ya have ta expect a certain number of inappropriate outbursts every day.  Ah've been keepin' in touch, but… ta graduation… Ah don't know."

"You should invite them, Roguey."

"What do you think, Kitty?"

"It's your decision.  How do you feel?  Nobody else can make that decision for you."

Rogue rolled her eyes.  "Trust ya, Kitty, ta not give a straight answer.  Ah'll ask Logan.  He'll give me a straight answer."

"They _are_ your parents.  Wouldn't they want to come?"

"Ah don't know, Jubes, Ah don't know."

"Hey, I think St. John's putting in a movie.  Let's go watch."  Kitty, always the peacemaker, had come up with the perfect solution to distract everybody.  The three girls ran down to the lounge, the whole conversation almost forgotten.

  
*  *  *  *  *

Logan's first real class wasn't that bad.  Kitty and Bobby were both afraid of him, so they listened and didn't cause trouble.  It was really a combination of Rogue and Logan teaching.  Logan taught attacks and Rogue did defense.  All in all, it worked pretty well.  The two future X-men weren't all that bad, but they weren't all that good, either.

Logan taught them everything he was required to teach quickly.  Then he moved on to teaching them dirty tactics - and how to defend against them.  He and Rogue would demonstrate the moves in slow motion, and the two would try to copy it.

It wasn't as bad as Logan expected.  Although he hated to admit it, the Professor was right.  He could do this, even if he didn't want to.  Of course, on the plus side, he was getting paid, so he didn't have to ask the Professor for money anymore.  He had to admit it wasn't a bad thing, after all.

  
*  *  *  *  *

"Hey Logan?"

"Mmm?"

Logan had started to sit in Rogue's room while she did her homework.  To Rogue's amazement, he was _smart_.  If she had a question, the odds were he had an answer.  He would sit in her chair, reading a book, while she sprawled across her bed, doing her homework.

"Do ya think Ah should invite mah parents ta mah graduation?"

"Do you want them to come?"  He put down his book, this conversation needing his full attention.

"Ah don't know.  Ah mean, Ah've talked ta them a few times, but the people here are more mah family."

"Well, would they want to come?"

She looked at him helplessly.  "Ah don't know.  They might…"

"What did your other friends say?"

"Jubilee says Ah should.  Kitty says Ah should do what Ah want."

"Well, why don't you call them and see?"

"Ya think Ah should do that?"

"I think you should do what you want to do."

"Ah think Ah'll go call 'em now, before Ah lose mah nerve."

She left and was back five minutes later.

"They're comin'."

"It only took you that long to give them directions?"

"Mr. Summers' emailin' directions to all the parents."

"That's good, kid.  Your homework all done?"

"You're worse than a parent, Logan."

He grunted, and she smiled to herself and returned to her homework.  Logan's eyes wandered around the room, finally settling on his book.  He picked it up and began to read again.

  
*  *  *  *  *

Saturday morning, Logan and Rogue got in the jeep, and Logan drove them to the mall.

"So, kid, why don't you want your friends along?"  He was glad of that - he probably would have ended up strangling Jubilee.

Marie shrugged.  "Well… if Ah invited Kitty, then Jubilee would want ta come.  An'… well… she would be tryin' ta get me ta buy a sexy lil' dress that shows way too much skin for me.  Plus, Ah know ya can't stand Jubilee."

"You shoulda just invited Kitty, kid.  That yellow-jacket chick would have understood if she's a true friend."  What the hell did he know about 'true friends'?  Marie was his first.

"It's just easier this way.  Besides, Ah like goin' places with ya."  She smiled shyly at him.

"I like going places with you, too, kid.  You're good company.  If you still want to go to Alaska some time, I'll take you there."  That was a totally random promise that caught him off guard.  Why had he said that?

When they got to the mall, Logan got out of the jeep, too.  Marie just looked at him with a slightly raised eyebrow.  She had been working on that ever since Logan left the first time.

He scowled at her.  "Don't look at me like that.  Contrary to popular belief, I won't die if I set foot in a mall.  I need to get a tux somewhere, don't I?"

"Jeez, don't get all defensive, Logan"

"Yeah, yeah," he grumbled.  "Meet you in the food court for lunch at noon?"

Rogue agreed, then they went their separate ways.  For Logan, getting a tux was the easy part.  Into Mr. Tux, rent the damned uncomfortable thing, and out again.  Put it in the back of the jeep - carefully! - and back into the mall.  He had to find a graduation present for Rogue.  She didn't need anything for college - she was doing some correspondence shit.  Whatever.  As long as she was close to home - who was he kidding?  Close to him - he really didn't care.

There was nothing in this damned mall that looked like Rogue.  Wait!  Right there!  Leather motorcycle jackets!  Score one for Wolverine!  She'd love one!  One in her size, one in her size, there's got to be one in her size.  Bigger… smaller… shit, he was getting near the end… jackpot!  Last one!  He paid for it, dashed out to the jeep, and hid it under the seat.  That was perfect!

He glanced at his watch.  Whoa - he was actually ten minutes late.  He hoped he could convince Rogue he had been there, looking for her - otherwise he would never live this down.  Ever.

"Hey Logan."  Oh fuck.  He'd recognize that southern drawl anywhere, even in this throng of people.  Of course she wouldn't already be in the food court - she was a girl.  "Ah was worried ya would be waitin' for me an' pissed."

Her eyes were sparkling with barely suppressed laughter.  He grunted at her.  "Go ahead and laugh.  It's only ten minutes - I was busy.  Any luck?"

They happy light faded a bit from her eyes as she shook her head.  She had looked in the department stores, even tried a few thing on.  But, everything had been too skimpy, shown too much of her lethal skin.  Especially this one, beautiful dress she absolutely loved.

They ate some shitty fast food - burger places in food courts made even worse food than regular fast food joints.  At least, as far as Logan was concerned, they did.  Logan glared and growled at every mall rat who walked past and tried to flirt with him, scaring them away.  Couldn't they see he was with a girl?  Okay, so she wasn't his girl - even if he wished she was - but still…

"Are you gonna look around some more?"

Rogue nodded, but before she could ask when he was going to come pick her up, he asked, "Mind if I walk around with you for a while?"

"Uh, no.  Ya done?"  Rogue threw away the rest of their lunches and walked out of the food court, with Logan trailing behind.  She smiled slightly to herself when she heard him growl at some passing people.  She tried to ignore the dress as she walked by the display window, but she was drawn to it like a magnet.  Her fingertips grazed the glass without her consciously raising them.  She was imagining how it would look on her, how it would feel, and how Logan would think she looked in it.

_Don't even think like that,_ she scolded herself.  _You're just 'the kid' ta him, an' that's all you'll ever be.  He needs a girl he can touch, ya know that._

She jumped when Logan's heavy hand dropped on her shoulder.  "Didja try it on, kid?"

"Oh, Ah don't really want it."  That sounded like a feeble lie, eve to herself.

"Okay.  You can't even expect me to come close to believing that, darlin'."  Damn!  It had slipped out again!  "You're practically drooling over it.  Go try it on."  He couldn't stand the longing look in her eyes.

"Ah couldn't.  Ah mean…" She drifted off, gesturing helplessly.  The dress she was drooling over was this light powder blue.  It had spaghetti straps and an open back with thin strings crisscrossing it.  There was no way in hell she could wear that.

"Why not?  Buy some sweatery shawly wrapy thing to go around your shoulders and some satin opera gloves.  If anyone has a problem with it, well, fuck them."

"Well…"

"Just try it on."

Logan ushered her in before she could come up with any more protests.  Since there was little else she could do, she did what he said.  Oh, wow, did it feel good on her!  It fit like a glove.  It looked pretty damn good in the little mirror, so she went to look at it in the dressing room mirror.  It did look great on her!

Logan echoed her unspoken sentiments.  He was leaning right outside the door, and let out a low whistle when he saw her.  Damn, she looked sexy!  "Damn, kid!  That looks _good_ on you!"

"Really?"  She turned to face him, nervously smoothing down the front.

"Really.  C'mon, let's pay for it."

"But… Logan…"

"Marie, you can't tell me you don't want that dress almost more than life itself.  I can tell bu the look on your face."

"But… Logan… The back…" She turned around to show him.

"Marie, if you want that dress, I'll figure something out so you won't feeling uncomfortable.  I promise."

Marie bit her lip and nodded.  "Okay, Logan."

She changed back quickly.  Then she stood for a moment, regaining control of her emotions.  When Logan made a promise, he kept it.  No matter what.

When the price came up on the price register, Marie's mouth dropped open in shock.  She hadn't looked at the price tag.

"Logan…"

"I'll pay for it, darlin', if you can't."

"Ah can, it'll jus take ages ta pay off."

She handed over her credit card, and they left.

"There's a little shop near the mansion Ah can get a sweater and some gloves.  Ah can get Jubes and Kitty ta take me."

"Okay, kid, but I don't mind if that's what you're worried about."

She smiled at him.  "Ah know ya would tell me if ya didn't want ta.  No, they'll be pretty mad cuz Ah didn't want them ta come.  Ah have ta placate Jubes somehow."

They walked in companionable silence for a bit.  They walked by Filene's, and Logan happened to glance inside and see the bathing suits.  That give him his brilliant idea.

"Hey, Marie.  How about a skin-colored bathing suit-that's-not-a-bathing suit?"

"What are ya talkin' about?"  She looked at him like he had lost his mind.

"For under your dress.  You know, one of those things a gymnast wears."

"A leotard?"

"Yeah, one of those things."

"Hey, that would work!"  Rogue couldn't help it anymore - a tear trickled down her face.  Oh no, bottled emotions time.

"What's wrong, darlin'?  What'd I say?"

She shook her head.  "It's not your fault.  It's just, nobody's cared so much…  Ya coulda just left me at the mansion, Logan, an' left.  End of story.  But ya didn't.  Why?  Anybody else woulda freaked if they saw me with that much skin showin', but ya didn't.  Why?"

Logan put an arm around her shoulders.  "C'mon, darlin'.  Let's walk outside."  He took her garment bag and walked her outside, rubbing her arm.  Damn, he sucked at comforting people!  "Because you're Marie, darlin'.  You've got that thing about you that…  I don't know…  Because I do."

"Ah'm sorry, Logan.  But it's really only ya and the Professor who…  Ah'm sorry."

"Don't be darlin'.  I-" He was interrupted by a scene unfolding in the parking lot.

A girl in very strange - very ancient-style - clothing was being harassed by a bunch of street punks.

"Damn it!  I'm jus' tryin' t' get  t' th' freakin' mall t' get some fuckin' normal fuckin' clothes!"

"I don't think so.  We don't let freaks like you on our turf."

"Fuck.  Off."  The girl ground out.  Sparks of fire began to pour from her fingertips.

"She's a mutie!" one of the punks yelled.  "Get 'er!"

"Hey!" Logan yelled.  He handed Rogue her dress, and his claws popped out with a _shinkt_!  Where the hell had this protective instinct come from?  Maybe it was because she looked to be about the same age as Rogue when he found her, and was wearing the same color cloak.  The girls was much more travel-worn, though, as if she had been on the road for years.

The punks ran off.  Instead of turning to him gratefully, she was furious.

"I could've handled 'em!  I didn't need any help!"

"Whoa, easy there.  What's your name?"

"Fuck off."  The girl started to walk away.

Rogue wasn't thinking, so she ran up behind the girl and grabbed her shoulder.  "Hey-"

The girl flung Rogue's arm off her shoulder.  "Do not touch me," she hissed icily.

Logan was pissed.  Nobody treated his Marie like that.  And the look on her face - a 'how did she know?' look - tore his heart.  "Hey bitch," he grabbed her shoulder.  "Don't-"

Almost before Logan could blink, the girl whirled around and pinned his arm behind him.  "I said don't touch me.  I don't like being touched.  What don't you understand about that?  Nothin' personal, just don't touch me."

She let go of Logan's arm and stepped away.  Marie put a restraining hand on his shoulder.  "We're sorry.  Ah'm Rogue an' this is Logan.  What's your name?"

The girl looked suspiciously at them, then said, "Nire."

"Who're you with?" Logan growled.  "Good guys or bad?"

"Nobody right now."

"Which would you choose?"

"Easy Logan," Marie muttered.  "She's too young ta be with either side.  You're bein' an ass."

"Good guys," Nire glared.  "You gotta problem with that?"

Marie spoke up before Logan could say any more.  "Ya need a ride?"

"You gotta place I can stay for a while?"

"Sure."

"You're crazy, Marie," Logan muttered.

"You got normal clothes I can have?  Or at least borrow?"

"Yes, girl," Logan said exasperatedly.  "If you're coming, get in the jeep."

Nire glared and got in the backseat.  Rogue carefully laid her prom dress in the trunk and got in the front next to Logan.

"So, you guys goin' back t' th' mansion?" Nire asked.  Logan and Rogue just gaped at her.  "Well, Rogue and Wolverine, right?  Where else wouldja be goin'?"

"Yeah," Rogue said.  She was too polite to ask how the girl knew that.  "So why are you out on your own?  Did your parents kick you out?  You can't be more than sixteen."

"Fifteen.  An' my reasons 're my own."  Nire fell silent after that, responding to everything with grunts.

"Jeez, Logan," Rogue whispered at one point.  "She's even worse than you."

"Got that right," Nire said.  "I'm tellin' ya right now, don't take anythin' I say in offense.  I'm not a social person, I don't like people.  It's best t' leave me alone."

As soon as they got in the door of the mansion, Jubilee came bouncing up to them.

"Hey Roguey!  Hey Wolvie!  Who's that?  Wow, you sure are dressed funny.  I'm Jubilee."

"If you want t' see your next birthday, fuck off."

Before Rogue could come to the rescue and distract Jubilee, the yellow-jacketed girl had said "okay" and bounced off.

"How'd you do that?" Logan asked before he could think better of it.

"She knew I was dead serious.  You'd nevuh do anythin' t' 'er 'cause it's piss off Rogue.  Now can I get some clothes?"

Rogue handed Logan her prom dress and told him to put it in her room.  She could handle this.  Logan looked positively relieved.  Rogue got Nire jeans and a t-shirt.  She was fat, but Rogue was pretty sure it was all muscle.  She directed Nire to an empty room where she could change and stood outside the door.

When she came out, Nire looked normal.  Her other clothes were in her knapsack on her back. M Rogue brought her to the Professor's office.  He told them to come in before they even knocked.  He told Rogue she could leave, so she left to show Kitty and Jubilee her prom dress.  The Professor could deal with the strange girl.

  
*  *  *  *  *

Nire didn't even want to think about what had just happened.  After that incident, she went to the mall to buy some clothes, and those damn punks had to show up.  She could have kicked their asses and relieved some of her aggression, but no, Logan had to show up and scare them off.  Oh well, at least she was going to meet the X-men.  Maybe they would let her stay.

Now she was standing before Professor Charles Xavier, the man himself.  She would try to be polite to them.  He drove his wheelchair around his desk so he was right in front of her.

"Hello, my name is Professor Charles Xavier."  He extended his hand for Nire to shake.

She almost repeated her bit about not touching, but then just shook his hand.  "I'm Nire.  Pleased to meet you."

"Likewise.  So, do you have parents?"

"Yes."  Nire could feel the Professor trying to search her thoughts.  Luckily, she had anticipated this, and had set up a faVade.  "Look, I really don't like people picking through my thoughts.  Could you just look enough to ascertain that I'm telling the truth, please?"

The Professor looked nonplused that she had known.  "Of course.  My apologies.  Are you a runaway?"

"No, I just need someplace to crash for a while."

"Why did you leave your parents?  I'm correct in assuming you are alone, right?"

"Yes, you are.  But I'm afraid my reasons are my own.  Sorry."

Thankfully, the Professor respected her privacy.  "Okay.  If you are staying here, you'll have to go to school.  It's just classes in the mansion."

"Fine by me."

"And, unfortunately, the only open room with furniture is Rogue's, so you would be rooming with her."

"As long as I have a bed of some sort, even if it's merely a chair."

The Professor sighed.  "Look, do you know what her power is?"

Nire nodded.  "Sure.  She sucks the life force out of anyone her skin touches.  If that person happens to be a mutant, she gains their powers for a while."  The Professor stared in unabashed amazement.  "Which reminds me - has she tried yoga?  That might help her control her powers."

"All right then, I'll have her show you where her room is.  Now, why do you think yoga would work?  Meditation hasn't, so far."

"Because.  Yoga is a form of self discipline.  It's deeper than meditation."

"Hmm.  Come in, Rogue."

Rogue opened the door and walked in.  "Yes, Professor?"

"Your room is the only one with only one person in it and furniture.  Nire is going to be your roommate until she leaves."

"Professor…" She unconsciously fiddled with her gloves.  "There's only one bed."

"The floor or a couch or a chair or something is fine with me," Nire put in.

"Please show her to your room, Rogue."

Rogue nodded.  She would do what the Professor asked, even though she knew Nire would freak out once she discovered her power.  And one of the other kids was certain to tell her.  As they walked down the hall, Rogue decided to get that unpleasant confrontation out of the way right now.

"So, did the Professor tell ya what mah power was."

"I already knew."

That was not the answer Rogue was expecting.  "And you're okay with roomin' with me?"

Nire shrugged.  "Why not?  Can't hurt me through clothing."

Rogue was flabbergasted.  The girl who hated people was perfectly willing to share her room with someone who killed with a touch.  Rogue had only know n her for a few hours, and already she was an enigma.

  
*  *  *  *  *

Nire made herself a bed on the floor.  When Rogue went to dinner, Nire stayed in the room.  She wasn't hungry at all.  The fresh memories had totally killed her appetite.  To pass the time - and to try to help her forget - she started her juggling ritual.  Hopefully, by changing the words a bit, she could make herself forget the one they were about.  Rogue came back into the room right after dinner.  She had spent all of dinner trying to convince Logan that she didn't mind Nire staying there.  She stood, entranced, just inside the door, watching Nire juggle.  Nire didn't even notice her.  The girl had ten balls and an apple going in the air.  The apple was slowly getting eaten.  She had her back to Rogue and was totally lost in thought.  When she happened to turn around and see Rogue, she almost lost the rhythm.  The next two balls she tossed went wild, flying out in front of her.  She managed to catch one with her foot and fling it back into the group.  The other one, she just missed, and it rolled across the floor.  But she was deceptingly agile for one of her size.

"Toss it back in, will ya?" she asked Rogue.

Rogue did as she asked, and Nire continued her juggling.  She used her feet to pull off her shoes and socks, and wiggled her toes.  She used one foot to pull her knapsack closer and open it, rolling out a couple more colored balls.  AS she used her feet to toss them into the circle, she muttered to herself what they stood for.

"Red for the blood that was spilt,

"Yellow for sun never to shine,

"Blue for skies forever in darkness,

"Black for the death of me and mine."

She noticed Rogue's odd look.  "I'm morbid, okay?

"Purple for flowers at the funeral,

"Golden was his blessèd shine"

Now her hands were moving too fast to see, the balls a blur of color.

"Silver for eyes that will never see,

"Forever dead, if only to me."

The balls dropped one by one into the open bag at her feet.

"Wow," Rogue breathed.  "That was awesome."

"Yeah, thanks."  Nire dropped her pack on her 'bed'.  "Is there some sorta quiet place outside where no one will disturb me?"

"Sure."  Rogue led her outside and left her in a place that suited whatever purpose she had.  Rogue dearly wished she knew what Rogue was doing, but it was made clear that she was not wanted and whatever questions she asked would go unanswered.  Rogue knew better than to pry.

  
*  *  *  *  *

It was one in the morning, and Nire still could not get to sleep.  She was a natural insomniac, and it didn't help that he was not sleeping next to her.  She missed the heat of his body, the warm feeling she got when he curled his arm protectively around her as she snuggled into his side.  How dare he do that to her!  She would be crying from the loss right now, if she were not so consumed with rage.  And yet, her fingers itched to take out her dagger and go to the bathroom to cut her arms.  The physical pain of the slices was better than the mental anguish, and it seemed to help relieve that mental pain.

Nire was about to act on that when she heard Rogue roll over and the sound of soft, muffled crying began.  Nire tried to ignore it - she knew better than most that when someone was crying like that, the last thing they wanted was for someone to find them.

Nire cursed her luck, too.  She had thought that she would be able to remain aloof until she was ready to leave.  The problem was, she had a soft spot for crying people, for depressed people.  Perhaps it was because misery loves company, but the one thing that could get through the block of steel that was her heart and melt it a bit was someone in a worse situation than her.

She fought against the urge to offer what solace she could  until nearly quarter of two.  Finally, she couldn't take it anymore.  The protective instinct, the one that had finally broken her heart, was much too strong.

"Hey, Rogue.  Are you okay?"

Nire could see Rogue's silhouette sit up in bed and dash the tears away.  "What?  Oh.  Yeah, Ah'm fine.  Sorry if Ah woke ya."

"Nah.  I'm an insomniac - haven't fallen asleep yet."  Nire sat up.  "Nobody who's been crying for 45 minutes is okay.  What's wrong?"

"Nothin'."  But Rogue had the strangest, strongest urge to spill her guts.

"Sure ya don't wanna talk about it?"  Nire got up and kneeled by the side of Rogue's bed.  "Believe me from experience, it helps a whole hell of a lot."

"It's jus' that time of th' month.  Mah hormones are in overdrive."

"'Kay.  G'night then."  Nire went back to her bed and lay down, in all appearances, going to sleep.

Rogue, however, somehow knew that she was still awake, still listening.  How the surly introvert had transformed into this caring person, Rogue could not fathom.  Yet, she knew, in an inexplicable way, that Nire could be trusted.

"It just gets ta me, sometimes," she began softly.  Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Nire sit up.  "Ah mean… as long as Ah'm covered bah clothin'…"  Why was she talking?  She hadn't known this girl for even a full day.  Yet, she could not seem to stop.  "It's not like Ah have some contagious, deadly disease.  Ah get tried of seein' pretty much everybody move away when Ah come near.  It's bad enough Ah won't ever have a boyfriend…"  Rogue started to cry again, even though she was embarrassed to do it in front of Nire.

Nire got up and sat on the edge of Rogue's bed.  She started to stroke her hair - that's what he had always done for her when she was feeling bad, and it always seemed to help.  "You love him, don't you?"

"Who?" Rogue sniffled, trying to stop crying.  After all, she was older than the girl by almost three years, and should be the more mature of the two.

"Logan.  That's pretty much what brought this on, right?  I wouldn't be surprised if you cry like this every night."

"How did you know?"  Rogue asked, shocked, her mouth opening before she could stop it and deny it.

"Experience, mostly.  And being able to see what is right in front of my face."

"It doesn't matter, though.  He's got to be twice as old as me.  He'd never see me as anything more than a kid."

"Are you blind, girl?  He loves you more than life itself."

"No he doesn't.  Ah'm just the kid he swore ta protect."

"I'm tellin' you, he loves you as a woman.  He's just terrified of that feeling.  And age doesn't matter.  My ex was more than twice my age."  Nire closed her eyes for a moment against the pain of that fresh wound.

"So why is he your ex?" Rogue was slowly bringing herself under control.

"None of your damned business," Nire snapped.  "Anywho, it's probably bedduh you don't believe me.  If you said anythin' now, he's freak out."

"Why do ya say that?" Rogue sat up - the girl had her interest.

"Well, 'e's not really an open-up feelings-oriented guy, right?"  Rogue nodded.  "So 'is own feelin's are prob'ly freakin' 'im out, anyways, so findin' out you reciprocate 'is feelin's would most likely send 'im runnin' again."

"How d'ya know  that?"

"Let's just say I'm good at reading people, okay?"

Nire began to him a soft tune, and Rogue felt herself getting tired.  She felt like a little girl again, but it wasn't a bad feeling.  Within a few minutes, she had lain back down and gone back to sleep.


	5. Late Night Discussions

(A/N:  Here's the deal.  Nire is not any sort of Marie.  She's one of those 'I was bored and had no clue where I was going with this story so I added a new person' characters.  But don't worry, she's going home soon.  There's no more chapter after this for a while cuz I've only got half of the next one written, and it's going slow.  But, after that, I've got about 6 more written, so… if ya want me to just skip the next chapter and put up the ones after that, tell me…  And if anyone wants more Nire than what I've got (I mean, more in this story), which I doubt, tell me, otherwise, she's gone and the story ends soon.  Ummm… I think, besides Chpt.6, I've got up to 11 or 12 written.  And will SOMEONE read the original story I posted and tell me what they think?  PLEASE?  And, does ANYONE like Nire?  I mean, c'mon, someone has to.  I'll tell y'all who she is in a while, once she's gone, maybe.)

Discaimer:  Nire is completely mine. Her thoughts are mine, her actions are mine, etc.  Bwahahahahaha.

**Chapter Five - Late Night Discussions**

The next morning, the Nire of the night before was gone.  Back was the surly, snapping wolf.  Rogue showed her where the dining room was.  The girl immediately took a table in the corner, sitting in the shadows.  She did not even bother to get food.  Rogue saw that Logan had saved her a seat - he always did - but she shook her head slightly and nodded towards Nire.  He just rolled his eyes.  Maybe he'd go sit there later.

"Mind if Ah sit here?" Rogue asked, standing in front of a chair.  Nire grunted something in reply that Rogue assumed to be a yes.  "Aren't ya gonna eat anythin'?" she asked as she sat down.

"Too damn early.  I'm only here as a one-time thing so _everybody_ knows to stay the hell away from me."  Nire fell silent as she continued to glare at anyone who ventured too close.

"Me an' a couple o' mah friends are goin' shoppin' later today for clothin' for the prom.  D'ya wanna come?"

"Nope.  Thanks for th' offer."

Well, Rogue couldn't say she didn't try.  The rest of the meal was spent in silence - well, Rogue tried to make small talk, but Nire pretty much ignored her.  That didn't mean she wouldn't stop trying to be her friend, of course.

  
*  *  *  *  *

Rogue, Kitty, and Jubilee finally completed Rogue's outfit.  It took them hours, but it was done.  After seeing how much trouble Jubes was just doing this, Rogue was glad only Logan had been with her, picking out her dress.  She could not wait for Logan to see her in the complete ensemble.

Monday morning, when Rogue woke up to get ready for school Nire was still sound asleep.  Rogue tried various ways of waking her up, from yelling to throwing things at her.  In between tries, she got dressed.  Finally, she screwed up the courage to grab Nire's shoulder and shake her awake.  Not even that worked, and Rogue was beginning to worry.

"C'mon, wake up!  Are ya okay?  Are ya dead or somethin'?"

Nire groaned.  "No," she mumbled, "I'm hoping that if I ignore you, you'll go away.  It ain't seemin' t' be workin', though."  She yawned.  "Whaddaya want?"

"The Professor said ya had ta go ta school, remember?"

"Well, what time is it an' what time do I have to be there?"

"6:30 an' 7:20, Ah guess."

"Wake me up at 6:50, 'kay?"  Before Rogue could even formulate an answer, Nire was sound asleep again.

During the day, Nire sat in the very back of all her classes and glowered and growled at everyone.  She had them all, even some of the teachers, terrified of her.  She did not pay attention at all, but if the teachers were willing to repeat their questions, she could answer them.

Her last class of the day just happened to be Logan's self-defense class.  Logan threw a fit when he found out - the fight could be heard all over the school.  It was quite humorous for Rogue to listen to.  Nire stayed leaned up against the back wall for most of that class, too.  She smirked a bit as she watched Logan and Rogue demonstrating things - there was way more body contact than strictly necessary.  She almost laughed outright as she watched Kitty try to get this one move.  Finally, she took pity on the girl and stalked over to offer help.

"Look, yer doin' it totally wrong.  Have y'ever seen 'The Matrix'?"  Kitty gulped and nodded.  "Well, y'know at the end, after Neo's figured out he's The One, and he's dealing with Agent Smith, and he's got his leg up, and he's looking kind of dazed and amazed, and he's twisting his leg to put it down?"  Kitty nodded again, looking around for someone to rescue her.  Unfortunately, the other three were busy.  "Okay.  Think of that and do it like this.  Watch _carefully_."  She demonstrated.  "Out, up, over, down, punch one-two.  Got it?"  For the third time, Kitty nodded.  "Good.  Try it."

Kitty was so terrified of Nire that she totally missed up, even worse than she had been before.  Nire rolled her eyes and sighed frustrated.

"Look.  You're eighteen, I'm fifteen, and you're terrified of me.  Now, think about how sad that is for a moment.  Have you figured out how sad that is?  Good.  I don't bite, regardless of how it appears.  Relax and try again."

Kitty took a deep breath and let it out slowly, once more glancing around for someone to save her.  Of course, Rogue and Logan were still trying to help Bobby.  There was no one to save her, so she just concentrated on what Nire had said and what she had done… and she did it!

"See?"  Nire stalked back to her place against the wall.

"Hey, thanks."

Nire just grunted and glared.

Of course, now that Nire was back against the wall, the others took notice of Kitty.  "Any progress, Kitty?" Logan asked.

"Uh-huh."

"Okay, come over here.  You planning on doing anything, Nire?"

She grunted again.  "Whaddaya want me to do?"

"What can you do?"  Logan left Rogue teaching her two friends and went to confront Nire.  He hoped for a good fight - providing she could fight well.

"That depends on whatcha want me t' do."

"Well, what can you do?"

"I dunno.  Whaddaya want me t' do?"  Nire hoped if she got Logan pissed off enough, he would give her an all-out old-fashioned tavern brawl.  Fighting herself in the woods wasn't very good for practice or keeping her skills up to par.

"Well, then, let's just see what you can do.  Everything goes, but try to keep it clean."

Both of them silently congratulated themselves on getting their fight.  Logan hoped it would be a good one - Nire knew it would.  When Rogue realized what they were going to do, she almost tried to stop them.  Almost.

"This should be interestin'," Rogue muttered as she led the way for them to lean against the wall.  "C'mon guys.  This looks like it's gonna take up the whole room."

"Why?" Bobby asked.  Kitty and Rogue rolled their eyes at him.

"Please," Kitty said softly, scornfully.  "The tough, biker guy against the curly, frigid bitch?"

"Aye, a surly, frigid bitch with the ears of a bat."  Kitty paled and blushed at the same time.  Nire's attention drifted for a moment as she remembered - remembered the games of hide-and-seek that invariably turned into how-quiet-can-you-be, so the other wouldn't hear.  Her hearing was almost as good as his - they would spend hours, hunting each other.  She was so deep in memories, she barely realized that her body was on autopilot, blocking whatever Logan threw at her and tossing half-ass punches back.  She put her mind into the fight - this was probably the last one she was going to get for a few months until she could handle going back.

To the three watching teenagers, it was a beautiful - if deadly - dance.  Nire, despite her large frame and stocky body, moved with liquid grace, fluidity that looked out of place being done by her.  Logan - no, he was Wolverine right now - moved with feral savagery.  He seemed almost infuriated by her easy parries.  Rogue could see that Nire was merely toying with him, as a cat will toy with a mouse before the final deathblow, and was sure he knew it, too.  Their bodies were blurs of movement.  Logan could move surprisingly fast for a man with a metal skeleton.  Rogue was jealous of the fifteen-year-old, as pathetic as that was.  But, she was jealous of anyone who got that close to the gruff man, anyone who could touch him - even in a fight - without gloves on.  The bell that signaled the end of school rang, but no one noticed it, save Nire.

"School's out."  She effectively 'killed' Wolverine in seconds.  "I win.  Bye people."  She disappeared to - wherever - before anyone could speak.

Kitty and Bobby stared, amazed, after her.  Rogue, however, watched Logan - for that's who he was again.  He glared at her as she tried not to laugh at the look on his face - an expression of mixed amazement, anger, and humiliation.  He stalked out, growling to himself.  Rogue managed to wait until she was pretty sure he was out of hearing before bursting into helpless gales of laughter.  Her two friends just stared at her until her mirth and she wiped the tears from her eyes.

  
*  *  *  *  *

Rogue found that Nire was the most talkative at night.  They had many interesting conversations - once past you got past the surly exterior, Nire was a very intellectual, philosophical person.  Rogue found that they were actually becoming friends.  Logan could actually tolerate her after a while, so the three became an inseparable trio.  The three loners sticking together - how fitting.

One night, only a few days before the prom, Nire was being unusually open.  Rogue decided now was the time to ask, "Why don't ya like people touchin' ya?"

Nire was silent for so long that Rogue feared she had closed up again.  Finally, she spoke.

"Letting people touch you… it signifies a certain amount of trust.  Trust that I don't put in anyone anymore.  It allows a clearer path into your heart.  I hold everyone at arms length, not allowing any contact, fro a reason.  The same one for which I appear to hate the world.  If you let anyone into your heart, even the tiniest bit, you're leaving yourself open for betrayal.  A betrayal that comes more often than it doesn't.  I let myself come to care about too many people, too deeply, and paid for it.  I'm not making that mistake again, ever."

"What left you so cynical and jaded?" Rogue asked quietly.  She did not expect Nire to answer, but she did.

"They say 'tis better to have loved and lost that ne'er loved at all, but really 'tis better to have never loved at all.  I let someone work his way through the armor around my heart, into the core, and he used my trust to betray me.  But never again will that happen."

"All because of one guy?"  That was out before Rogue could think better of it.

"No, I've actually always been like this.  He managed to 'bring me out of my shell'.  Then, he just reinforced my views.  G'night."

That single word ended most all of their late-night conversations.  After Nire had gone to sleep - or pretended to - Rogue lay, reflecting on their past conversations.  One particularly interesting one had been on religion.  Nire's views were that most of it was a 'bunch of bull shit'.  She had gone throught he list - Buddhism, Islam, Judaism, etc.

"Well, what about Christianity?"  Rogue glanced at the fluorescent numbers on her alarm clock - 1:30AM.  Thank God it was a weekend.

"Christianity is the worst out of all of them.  Think about it.  There is no god but the one God.  All other religions are false - false gods, false everything.  You can't be Christian and something else, like you can be Wiccan and another religion.  Christians - especially Catholics - have absolutely no tolerance for anyone different than them, in all aspects.  In religion, they had little tolerance for Christians outside their branch.  I mean, think about all the strife between Catholics and Protestants to this day.  To my biological father's family, I am a bastard child because he was Catholic and my mother was Protestant.  There has to be a huge ceremony for almost everything.  I agree with the original idea of Christianity, I just do not like all the trappings they added to it.  The last true Christian died on the cross, and he wasn't even Christian - he was a Jew."

"So ya've got a thing against all religions?"

"Pretty much all the major ones.  If I were to follow a major religion, or any that others follow, I'd choose Taoism.  That's about as pure as you can get."

"What is it?"  Rogue remembered hearing briefly about it, but nothing more than its name.

"I can't explain it.  If I tried, that would mean I didn't really know what it was.  Technically, it shouldn't even really have a name, but 'Tao' means 'The Way', and that's about as vague as you can get."

"So, what religion are ya?"  Rogue mostly asked questions and let Nire talk, trying to learn all she could about the girl.

"I'm not really anything of this world.  I guess I take the best out of all religions and incorporate it into one, plus other things.  I guess it could best be described as… hmm… well, a little bit of Wicca, except the main gods I worship are Mystra and Mielikki.  I take in bits of Buddhism and Taoism, especially Zen Buddhism.  Then I've added in a lot of things from 'The Dark Tower' books by Stephen King.  Especially the importance of riddles and the ability to think around corners.  It's more of a culture than a religion, and one practiced only by me.  Nireism will die with my last breath."

"Interesting.  Umm… who are Mystra and Mielikki?"

Nire laughed - the first laugh Rogue had heard pass her lips.  "They are goddesses from my favorite book series.  But the gods are just a name for your heart.  Those two called to me more than any Earth god.  Mystra - the goddess of magic, Lady of Mysteries - and Mielikki - goddess of rangers, the true, old type - are my heart and soul."

"What does your family think of this?"  Rogue knew that her parents would not have been happy, had she followed any of the paths Nire had mentioned.

Unfortunately, this question caused Nire to slam her mental door shut.  "I don't like talking of my family.  G'night."

A slight noise brought Rogue back to the present.  She thought Nire might be crying - that's what the noise sounded like - but she wasn't sure, and there were no other noises that she could hear before she fell asleep.


	6. Prom

**Chapter Six - Prom**

It was finally here - prom night.  The girls had spent all day getting ready.  Or, at least, fussing over everything and laying out what they would need because it was too early to get ready.  Eventually, all of them, except Rogue, were gone, getting their hair done.  Ororo had offered to stay behind and do Rogue's hair for her, but Rogue had politely declined.  It would not have been fair to Storm if she had accepted the offer.  Of course, it was also much too dangerous.  She could probably figure out something to do herself.

Rogue had to fight down a wave of self-pity as she thought of all the things she couldn't do - like getting her hair done for a big event.  The Professor had said that Nire had suggested trying yoga, so, while they still tried everything else under the sun during their weekly meetings, she now did yoga on her own.  It hadn't worked yet, but it was still too soon to really tell.  Rogue prayed that this would work, so she would not have to miss out on more things.

Nire came back from wherever she went every day and saw Rogue doing absolutely nothing.  Nire had thought she would be busy getting ready, but no.

In a rare moment of kindness, Nire offered, "D'ya want me t' do your hair?"

"No, thanks.  Ah can do somethin' mahself."

"You sure?  Watcha gonna do?"

"Ah… Ah don't know."

"Hmm."  Nire sat regarding Rogue with a hand on her chin.  She looked scarily similar to 'The Thinker'.  "Ya know what would look good?  Somethin' like this."

Nire grabbed some paper and started sketching.  When she was done, she handed it to Rogue.

"The top of your hair is pulled back in a latticework pattern that makes it look like it's holding down the hair underneath.  The hair used in the latticework is pulled back in a half ponytail.  The ponytail is braided and twisted into a bun.  And your two white streaks are left free to hang."

"But there's no way Ah have enough stuff t' do that."  Rogue liked the hairdo, a lot.

"Yeah, bit I do… Somewhere… I think… Maybe…"  Nire commenced to searching through her knapsack, which seemed to hold everything under the sun.  She started throwing things onto the bed - clips, elastics, brushes, scrunchies, and more.  "Haha!  Tol'ja so!  D'you want me t' do it?"

"Umm…" Rogue was warring with herself.  Yes, she wanted it, and she couldn't do it herself, but it was too dangerous.  It was a bit pathetic that even the simplest things had to be thought over so long.  "Yeah, Ah guess so."

"All righty then.  Sit."  Nire stood behind Rogue for an hour, pulling and twisting and manipulating Rogue's hair into what she wanted.  She fastened it with little, tiny, baby elastics, and braided it in a  tight plait.  As she was finishing up pinning the bun, the rest of the girls came back.  At least, that's what Nire and Rogue assumed form the sudden increase in noise.

"D'you want these sticky-thingies in?"  Nire held up a pair of hair sticks.  Rogue nodded, and Nire stuck them in.

Jubilee bounced into her room as Nire was putting her stuff away.  "Hey Roguey!  Oo, that's neat!  Did Nire do it?  I like it!  What do you think of mine?  Did it come out good?"

Nire slipped out the door as Rogue answered the questions.  "Yes, she did, it looks awesome, Ah love it, it came out wonderful."

"We've only got a couple more hours left!"

Rogue rolled her eyes at Jubilee's enthusiasm.  But, it was catching, and Rogue found herself moving faster, too.

  
*  *  *  *  *

When Logan saw Rogue, his mouth (almost) literally dropped to the floor.  His eyes traveled slowly from her head to her toes, then back up.  Whoever had done her hair – he knew she didn't go out to get it done – was absolutely brilliant.  Rogue almost never wore makeup, but she had on just a touch tonight, making her face almost glow.  She had on a sheer body suit, of course, and her dress slid perfectly over it.  And, just as he had thought in the dressing room, it looked _good on her.  What he hadn't noticed, was that the powder blue dress shimmered when she moved.  A small, white sweater covered her shoulders.  A silk scarf covered her neck, as always.  Even though it was a couple shades darker than her dress, it still marched perfectly.  She had on gloves of the same color that went to the middle of her upper arm.  The whole outfit was topped off by a pair of silver shoes.  Logan surreptitiously sniffed, and was pleased that she hadn't put on any heavy-scented perfume.  One of the things he absolutely loved about Marie was that she didn't use any body sprays or perfumes.  Not like all those other teenage girls, who invariably gave him a headache with all those disgusting scents._

"You look beautiful, kid."

"Thanks."  She smiled shyly at him.  He looked handsome in his suit.  Uncomfortable, but handsome.  She'd have to do something for him, really special, to thank him for doing this for her.

"Ready?"  Logan offered Marie his arm.  She took it – just as friends or not, she could at least pretend in her mind…

Logan had to give the rest of the graduating seniors credit – they didn't leave that little circle of bare space around Rogue, they didn't even seem to notice her dress (at least, not that way).  Logan could tell that she still felt uncomfortable, so he made sure they stayed near the walls, where there were fewer people.  With a start, he realized that there were going to be absolutely horrendous rumors and gossip flying around the mansion tomorrow.  Damn, he should have thought of that!  But one glance at the girl next to him told him it was well worth it.

The most memorable part of the evening for Rogue was when Logan was dancing with her.  He didn't have to, but he did.  Surprisingly enough, he was a good dancer.  His bad-ass persona covered up a pretty sophisticated interior.  Being that close to Logan caused Rogue to have to use all her powers of meditation _not to become aroused – she knew that Logan would be able to smell it.  That would be beyond embarrassing!  What Rogue didn't know, was that Logan was doing the exact same thing._

Graciously (on Scott's part), and surprisingly so, when the teachers began dancing with the students, Logan and Scott traded partners (or maybe Rogue and Jean traded partners).  So now Scott was dancing with Rogue – and Logan was definitely jealous – and Logan was dancing with Jean – with a little less jealousy on Scott's part.

"Having fun?" the red-head asked ghim.  A grunt was his only response.  "My, my.  You can actually dance."  Another grunt.  "Is that all you're going to do?  Grunt?"

This time, he quirked an eyebrow at her.  "Sure.  Why not?"

Jean noticed Logan's eyes tracking Rogue and Scott around the room.  Then Bobby and Rogue…and St. John and Rogue… "A bit jealous, are we?" she asked, slightly amused.

Logan's eyes snapped to glare at her.  "No," he growled.

Luckily, before the conversation could be taken any further, Scott came back.  Unfortunately, this meant Logan ended up with…horror of horrors…Jubilee.  As quick as he could, he traded her for Kitty, then Kitty for Storm.  This gave him a space of time to think – a short space.  Was he really that obvious in what he felt for Marie?  He couldn't be…could he?  And then Marie was back, and he forgot about his pensive musings.  The rest of the night – for both of them – was heaven.

When Rogue got back to her room – late, late at night – she opened the door very quietly incase Nire was sleeping.  Of course, the girl was, but at the slight click of the opening door, Nire sat bolt upright, her hand groping by the side of her 'bed' for a moment before she relaxed.

"Have fun?" she asked, and there was no indication in her voice that she had been sleeping just moments before.  Rogue grabbed her pajamas and went into the bathroom to change.

"Yeah."  Rogue highlighted the evening for her, then came out and hung up her outfit.

Nire was silent and looked sad for a moment – she was remembering all the midnight dances and dinners she had gone to with…him…  Then she quickly seemed to mentally shake off the mood.  "Sounds like you had a lot of fun."

Rogue sighed happily, then switched off the light and fell asleep almost immediately.

  
*  *  *  *  *

Much later – or earlier the next day, depending on how you looked at it – Rogue was shaken awake by Nire.  She had never been gladder – she had been in the middle of a horrific nightmare.  In it, everybody – all her friends, the entire world – was dead, and she was dying, and it had terrified her.  She should have figured that after such a happy night, she would fall asleep only to be greeted by nightmares.

"Y'okay?" Nire asked.  "Looked like a nasty one."

Rogue gave a half-grin.  "Yeah."  She paused for a long time.  "Nire?  Are- are ya ever afraid of death?"  It was a random question, spurred by a random dream.

"Do I fear death?"  Nire gave a quiet, but harsh, bark of laughter.  "At home, I live with death every day.  I don't necessarily know if I'm gonna live t' see the next moment, 'r if me friends 'r family will.  I've have th' person standin' next t' me be almost mortally wounded.  An', even without all that, can ya prove t'me being dead is any diff'rent than from 'fore I 'as born?"

"So you're not afraid ta die?"

Nire paused, and smiled a bit sadly.  "Absolutely terrified.  I'm only fifteen – I've got me whole life t' live before me.  But, I s'pose I'm not so much afraid've death as the process…  Why?"

Rogue shook her head.  "Just a random question.  'Night Nire."

"G'night."


	7. Graduation

**Chapter Seven - Graduation**

Ten days after the prom - and Rogue was still floating on air over how wonderful it was - was Logan's first mission.  The Professor told the X-men there was a briefing in the library.  Logan strolled down, arriving 'fashionably late'.  Of course, t he main objective was to piss Scott off, as always.  Logan was still not sure if it was a good idea for him to be on the team.  Taking orders from a pansy?  What was he thinking?

Scott looked at him, and Logan could tell there was a glare behind those rose-colored glasses.  Logan was all too happy to return the glare.

"Look Logan," Cyclops said sternly.  "I _am_ the leader here.  You _will_ listen to me and take orders from me.  If you don't think you can handle that, leave now."

Logan was so tempted to do exactly as Scooter said and leave.  But, if Rogue was going to be on the team… Well, he didn't have much of a choice, did he?  All of the other things the Professor had said tempted him, too.  So, Logan just crossed his arms and strengthened his glare, with no intention of going anywhere.

"Good.  Now, to business.  The Brotherhood is stirring up trouble, again.  They are planning on raiding a military establishment and kidnapping some people to use as guinea pigs.  Obviously, we have to stop them."

"We still have Magneto, right?" Storm asked in her mellow voice.  "I mean, he hasn't escaped and you guys haven't told me?  There's no way he could be orchestrating this?"

"No possible way," Scott affirmed.

"So, are we dealing with a new ringleader?"  Once more, the question came from the weather goddess.

"We don't know.  Hopefully, this mission will shed some light on that.  We're going to stop them, maybe take a captive, nothing more.  Let's try not to wreak havoc."

Logan knew that particular comment was aimed at him.  Usually, he would have come up with a snappy comeback, but for some reason, he didn't feel like it.  Which was strange, seeing as how he didn't really want to be part of the X-Geeks team.  He was just doing this so he could protect Rogue like he promised, right?

They boarded the Blackbird and flew to the military base.  To Logan, this did not feel right.  It felt wrong, beyond the fact that he was wearing some pansy uniform and taking orders from someone else.  Why would the Brotherhood be attacking anything that had to do with the  government?  They would be more heavily defended and more likely to take revenge against the mutants.  Logan was used to trusting his instincts - they weren't exactly screaming 'danger!', but they sure as hell weren't whispering.  Still, Logan kept silent.  Whatever came at them, they could handle it.

Scott landed the Blackbird in a secluded area.  Somehow, using new technology, he made it invisible to all radars.

_That could sure come in handy sometime_, Logan mused.

_Don't even think about it.  Scott and the Professor would kill you. _

_Stay out of my head, Jeannie. _

They took up their positions.  To Logan, this was feeling ever-increasingly like a trap.  He could smell trouble.  The place was almost empty.  As far as Logan knew, it should be bustling with people.

_Hey Jeannie.  This feels like a trap. _

_Yes, it does. _  Logan heard as she broadcast to everybody, _Logan__ thinks this feels like a trap and I agree. _  Then she told the other two what Scott was saying.  _Scott agrees, but he says there's little we can do.  He's confident we can handle anything that they throw at us.  If not, we can make a quick escape. _

Everything was quiet for, maybe, ten minutes.  Logan could smell something he couldn't quite identify.  It was a sharp and acrid smell.  He wasn't quite sure where it was coming from.  It might have been a tiny building near Scott, but he just wasn't sure.

They were slowly working their way through the nearly empty buildings.  Scott was getting closer and closer to that building.  Suddenly, it clicked in Logan's head what the smell was - gunpowder.  That made sense, thought.  The military always smelled of gunpowder.  Still… But, would he really care if One-Eye died?  Logan was surprised to find - he did.  And he was positive it was in the building.

_Jean!  What's in that building near Scooter? _

_He says it's storage. _

_What kind?  Ammo? _

_No, food. _

_Tell him- _ Logan caught the smell of fire.  _Fuck, it's gonna explode_, he thought as he shouted, "Scott!  Get your ass _away_ from that building!"  _My god, did I just call him 'Scott'?_

As soon as the last word left his lips, the building exploded.  Logan felt a moment's satisfaction that he was right, then - since he was the second closest person - he was being pelted with flying shrapnel.  A good-sized chunk hit his shoulder, breaking his collarbone.  He ignored it - he could feel it healing already.

"Back to the Blackbird!" Scott yelled as he ran, dodging falling chunks of brick and blasting other pieces.

Jean and Storm were far enough away so nothing reached them.  They started running for the Blackbird.  Logan did, too.  He assumed Scott was following, until Jean happened to glance back and shriek, "Scott!"  She turned around and started running back, Storm following.

Logan whirled around, and immediately saw the problem.  A huge chunk of rock had smashed into Scott, knocking him down and landing on his leg.  He couldn't quite get a shot at it; the angle was bad.  Wonderful - their fearless leader was trapped under a piece of rock, and there was Sabertooth coming.

"Go guys!" Logan shouted.  "I'll get him."  _Wait - didn't I kill Sabertooth?_  Well, he couldn't worry about that now.  He had to save their fearless leader's ass.  As he turned around to dash back, Jean hesitated until Scott yelled, "Damn it, Jean!  Go!"

There were more mutants following Sabertooth.  This was just getting worse and worse.  Not only did Scott apparently trust him with his life, but there were now more people than Logan could fight - as hard as it was for him to admit.  He heaved the rock off Scott's leg as Cyclops groaned in pain.  Logan hissed, too.  His collarbone still hurt.

Glancing back as he hauled Scott up, Logan saw that the horde of mutants was breaking into a run.

"I hope you've been eating light," he commented dryly as he grabbed Scott and tossed him over his shoulder.  "Watch my back."

Logan heard the dying screams of the mutants as Scott shot at the ones in the lead.  Nothing hit them, so Logan assumed Scott got all the ones about to hit them.  Logan grudgingly admitted that he had to respect Scooter's ability to hit his target while moving like this.  Miraculously, they made it back onto the Blackbird without getting hurt.  Scott's face was white, and sweat beaded his brow.  His leg must have hurt worse than hell.

Storm flew the jet back to the mansion.  They carried Scott out on a stretcher and put him in the infirmary.  His leg was disgusting - it was mashed up and bloody, and the bone was showing.  Logan, for that matter, was covered in Scott's blood.

While they were all still in the infirmary, Scott spoke up in a pain-filled voice.  "There will be a debriefing eventually - the Professor will tell you when."  They all - except for Jean - turned to go.  "And Logan… Thanks."

Logan just grunted in reply and escaped as quick as he could.  He still couldn't believe he had actually gone back for Scooter, of all people.  Wolverine's motto was 'don't care for anyone but #1'.  Before, he would have left Scott and run.  Now, he had gone back.  And he was pretty sure he would have done so whether Jean had seen him or not.  Christ!  He didn't even like her like that anymore.  He would have gone because Scott was… his friend.

  
*  *  *  *  *

Rogue wandered restlessly around her room.  She was worrying - even though she knew it was senseless, she couldn't help it.  Logan was on his first mission - with Mr. Summers as the leader.  There was no way that could turn out good.  And Logan never thought before he acted, so he got into 'trouble' a lot.  In other words, he got into reckless fights that could have been avoided.

At one point, Nire walked into the room.  "Stop it.  He'll be _fine_.  He's not just Logan, he's the Wolverine, remember?  He can take care of himself.  Watch - he's going to come back without a scratch on him.  You worry needlessly."

"But Ah can't help it.  If he died…"

"But he won't.  It's basically impossible for him to die.  Chill out."

Nire left, and Rogue tried to do what she said.  Jubilee and Kitty told her variations of the same thing.  Yet, she could not.  He was pretty much everything to her - her world and more, as sappy as that sounded.

She heard the Blackbird come back and resisted the urge to run to meet Logan.  She wouldn't act like a little kid - she'd wait for him to come to her.  And, somehow, she knew he would.

But, when she heard him nearing her door - his room was right next to hers, and she could tell his footsteps anywhere - she couldn't help herself.  She ran out of her room to stand in the hallway.  Her heart nearly stopped when she saw the blood staining the front of his uniform - okay, so it wasn't a lot, but still…

"Oh my god, are you okay?" she gasped.  _Great,_ she thought.  _Not only do I sound like a stupid little kid, I sound like Jubilee._

"Yeah, kid," he said, touched by her obvious concern for a dirty bastard like him.  "Not mine, Scooter's."

She sounded relieved when she said, "Is Mr. Summers okay?  What happened?"

Logan couldn't see any harm in telling her.  "They rigged a building to explode.  Cyke was closest, and a chunk of the building fell on his leg."  He went into his room with Marie trailing behind.  She sat on his bed as he grabbed some jeans and went into the bathroom to take a shower.  "Gashed open his leg and broke the bone.  I got him back to the Blackbird, while he watched my back.  We definitely got a few of them.  One-Eye's remarkably resistant to pain.  He's going to be in a wheelchair for a while."  Logan couldn't keep the grudging admiration out of his voice.

Rogue decided to forego the mentioning of his use of the word 'we'.  She heard the water in the shower turn on, and tried desperately not to think of a naked Logan in the shower.  "What about you?  Did you get hurt?"  She knew he could hear her with the animal-like hearing of his.  She still had a little of his extra-sharp senses.

"Just a broken collarbone, darlin'.  But that's healed already."  It was no use trying to lie to her, Logan knew.  She always could tell, without fail.  He heard her make that little noise that meant she really wanted to ask him something, but didn't know how.  "What?"

"Umm, if your whole skeleton's covered with adamantium, how can ya break anythin'?"

"Good point, kid.  Maybe I tore the muscle or something."  He turned off the shower and toweled off.  "Anyway, I'm fine now."

"So ya saved Mr. Summers' life."  It was more a statement than a question.

Logan paused to consider this for a moment.  "Nah.  If I hadn't, Storm or Jean would've."

He came out with no shirt, of course, and Rogue had to fight the urge not to stare.  "But they didn't; you did.  The Chinese say that if you save a man's life, he's forever under your care.  Or something like that."

He shuddered, his muscles rippling.  "That's a scary thought.  Don't say that, kid."

So she was back to being 'kid' again.  Every time he called her 'darlin'', her heart lifted in hope a little, even though she knew it was hopeless.

A knock came on the closed door.

"What?" Logan growled.

"Yo, you make it back alive?"

"No.  I'm dead."

Nire walked in.  "So, I'm talkin' t' a ghost?"  Logan rolled his eyes.  "Have fun?"

"If you mean, did I get a fight, then no.  If you mean was it interesting, then yes."

"So, I heard ya tried t' kill Cyclops."

"And I heard you're nosier than your image, listen to pieces of conversations, then make the rest up."

The look on Nire's face was her own special version of a smile, much akin to Logan's version.  "True, true, but behind the stupid comment, I always know th' real story, whether I admit or not."

"Talkative today, are we?"

Rogue smiled to herself at their easy banter.  Besides herself and Logan, nobody could get more than two words out of Nire.  And she would only talk to them when there was no one else around.  She figured that Logan must have something about him that drew people like her and Nire.  Nobody else trusted.  But Rogue would put her life in his hands, and she was pretty sure Nire would, too.  Not even the Professor could get her to say as much as Logan could.

Soon after that, there was a debriefing.  They needed to do that while everything was still fresh in everybody's mind.  Logan smirked when he saw Scott in the wheelchair.  His leg must have hurt like hell, and Jean hovered over him like a hen with her chicks.  That made Logan's smirk widen - even though, deep down, he was jealous and wished he could get hurt like that and Marie would hover over him.

  
*  *  *  *  *

Marie's parents arrived the day before graduation.  Everybody else's parents - who were coming - were already there.  She worried her way around the mansion, despite everyone's constant assurances that they would come.  When they did arrive, Marie stood on the front steps to greet them.  Logan and Nire skulked in the shadows of the foyer.  Kitty, Bobby, Jubilee, and St. John just happened to be playing catch next to the driveway.

She took a hesitant step forward as the car pulled up, but then she stopped.  She glanced back towards the door of the mansion, but no one came out to give her more support.

"Hey, idiot," Nire said softly to Logan as Marie's parents got out of the car.  "That was a silent plea for someone - most likely you - to come stand on the porch with her.  Now go hang off the corner of the porch with one of those cigars that you always keep in your pocket hanging out of your mouth."

That was what he wanted to do all along, so he did what Nire said.  Marie's parents came up onto the porch.  She wanted to hug them - he could see by her posture that she did - but she was too afraid of their reaction.  Logan silently cursed them as her mother hesitantly stuck out her hand and flinched a little as Marie shook it.  Her father didn't even offer a handshake.  He basically ignored his daughter.  Logan's knuckles itched.  He wanted to kill the two of them for hurting his Marie.  What - she was _not _his Marie.

"It's good ta see ya, deah."  That was Marie's mother, and Logan was amazed at how much Marie's accent had faded.

"You, too.  Come on in."

Logan followed them into the mansion, his unlit cigar still dangling from his mouth.  Nire followed, once he passed her, and the four teens fell in line behind her.  Logan noticed that Marie's mother glanced back at them a couple of times, seemingly intimidated.  Good - he liked that.

The Professor was waiting for him, with the rest of the X-men team in a tight arc behind him.  "Welcome Mr. And Mrs. **(Whatever - too lazy to make up a name/research it)**.  I am Professor Charles Xavier.  This is Scott Summers, Jean Grey, and Ororo Monroe.  Behind you, you have Logan.  We hope you enjoy your stay at our school."

"Thank ya."  Marie's mother seemed to be the spokesperson.

_The five of you can leave.  These two are not here threatening Rogue.  They won't say anything in a school full of mutants. _

Bobby, Kitty, Jubilee, and St. John left.  You didn't argue with the Professor when he spoke in that tone of voice.  At least, they didn't.  However, Logan and Nire both sent back the same thought.  _No way in hell. _

The Professor smiled slightly at their loyalty.  He knew that both of them were itching to strangle Rogue's parents.  He hoped the two of them could restrain themselves until after graduation.

Logan and Nire were Rogue's silent shadows - most times unseen - for the rest of the day.  Logan could smell Rogue's parents' fear, and was about ready to explode at them after they had flinched away for - what seemed to be - the hundredth time.

_Don't you dare. _  The message came unbidden into his head.  It wasn't Jean or the Professor.

_Who the hell is this? _ he snarled in his head.

_Nire.  And if you tell anyone I'm telepathic, I'll kill you many times over.  Don't worry - I'll be shielding that part of your thoughts from Jean and the Professor. _

_Well, why shouldn't I try to kill them both? _  Strangely enough, although he didn't like Nire in his head, he didn't mind as much as with the Professor and Jean.

_Because she will never speak to you again.  Ever. _

Logan managed to keep his temper in check.  But, he knew, Marie would need some major confidence boosters once her parents were gone.

  
*  *  *  *  *

The hour of graduation approached.  The parents were seated in white chairs on the lawn.  Some of the younger students were scattered among them.  Nire hung around in the shadows of a tree far back from the other people.  She hated crowds.  Logan had to sit with the other teachers.  He would have much preferred to be near the back, or skulking in the shadows.

The graduates filed down to sit in the front rows, to that irritating tune that was played at every graduation.  Rogue stood up to give her valedictorian speech - she had been right - after Professor Xavier had said a little blurb.  Logan could smell her nervousness, and her eyes roamed the crowd as she talked.  They passed over her parents plenty of times, but it wasn't them she was looking for.  As soon as she locked eyes with Logan, she settled down.  She kept eye contact with him until she exited the stage to the applause of her friends and their parents.

Logan felt a swell of prize for her.  Professor Xavier began calling names for students to come up and get their diplomas.  AS Rogue went across, she flashed a small smile at Logan as he stood on stage - yes, they had actually made him get up and stand with the rest of the teachers.

Unlike the rest of the students, after the Professor gave her the diploma, he also gave her a hug.  The rest of the teachers did, too.  Logan was grateful that not a single one of them smelled like fear - he knew that Rogue still had some of his sharp senses.  He was last in line and whispered 'congratulations' in Rogue's ear as he hugged her.  Then she was off the stage and the next person came along, getting handshakes from everybody.

After the ceremony, everybody was with their parents or their friends' parents.  The teachers were circulating through the crowd, except for Logan, of course.  He had melted to the very fringes of the crowd.  Rogue's first instinct was to go find him.  Then she realized what she was thinking and where she was heading, and immediately switched directions to go find her parents.

They, too, were on the fringes of the crowd.  They were looking decidedly uncomfortable around all the mutants.  Once more, her mother shook her hand and her father basically ignored her.  Rogue caught sight of Logan, skulking in the shadows, with Nire slinking along a few yards away from him.

"We're leavin' now, deah," her mother said.  Rogue tried to fight down the wave of sadness, and willed her tears to stay unshed.  "It was nahce seein' ya."

"You, too, mama. And you, papa."  Her father merely grunted.

Rogue could see Logan's face, suffused with anger, and prayed that he wouldn't do anything.  Yet, she sort of wished he would.  A few seconds later, she saw Nire glide up to his side and start whispering urgently into his ear.  He seemed pacified after that, and Rogue was relieved.  She did not want any more cards stacked against her.

Her mother offered her another handshake, and then they just left.  That was it.  Rogue fled to her room, never noticing the conspicuous absence of the X-men from the group of happy graduates and parents.

  
*  *  *  *  *

Professor Charles Xavier, and the rest of the X-men, were, as Nire put it to Logan, 'totally ripshit'.  Nire was with them as they waited by Marie's parents' car.  When they appeared, and got closer, Logan could smell their fear.

"We, ah, have some very pressin' mattuhs we have ta get back ta," Marie's mother stammered, looking at her husband for support.

"No you don't," Professor Xavier said quietly, but with much vehemence in his voice.  "We all know the real reason you're leaving."

"Any idiot could see that you're lying," Jean put it.

"Rogue is very dear to us," Ororo added.

_Schnikt_!  Logan's claws popped out.  "And we don't like to see her get fucked over by anybody," he growled.

"Least of all her biological," and Scott stressed that word, "parents."

It was Nire's turn to speak, and she smiled.  It was the first smile any of them had seen on her face, and it was not a pretty sight.  She seemed to notice everyone's looks.  "When I smile, you should be afraid."  She let those words sink in - instead of being a funny comment, when applied to her, they actually seemed true.  "Very few people think of how the other person feels when they ostracize someone.  I know the burning bite of being and outcast from my peers.  I know the pain of being the outcast in a family, and I hate to see that cold sword plunged through another's heart.  Especially not such a sweet girl as Rogue.  I don't make friends easily, by choice.  But when I do, I hold them dear.  If I were you, I would beware, for I am not a happy person when my friends have been burned, and I know that revenge is a dish best served cold."  Nire let out a low, evil chuckle.  "And I would not want to be you when my revenge comes seeking your doorstep.  Mayhap, instead of hoping that the forces of evil become confused on the way to your doorstep, I will give them explicit directions.  Rogue would be better off without parents than with the likes of you."

The rest of the X-men just looked at the girl.  The single thought running through their minds at the time was, "Man, does this girl have issues."

Marie's father drew himself up.  "We don't want her anymoah - mutants ah an abomination in tha ahyes of God.  You people can have all tha rahghts ta her, for all we cauh."

The Professor smiled.  "Good, then.  We'll be mailing you the papers."

They moved away, and Marie's parents got in their car and sped out of there.  The X-men watched with satisfied smiles on their faces, except for Scott and Logan.

Logan retracted his claws.  "I think you should have just let me kill them," he growled at the Professor.

"One of them," Scott said from his wheelchair, "and let me have the other one."

"And then Rogue would undoubtedly have had our heads," Ororo told the two men.  "She's going ot be mad enough already because of this - you two know that."

Logan grunted and Scott nodded.  They both knew she was right.  Logan strode off to go find Marie.  Nire faded away like a wisp of smoke.  The rest of the team went back to the celebrating graduates.

  
*  *  *  *  *

Marie's scent didn't go up to her room as Logan thought it would.  Instead, it went to the roof.  He should have guessed that - it was where she always went if she was feeling bad, or sometimes just so she could be alone.  He could smell the tears before he even got out there.  She was back in 'normal clothes', which consisted of jeans, a T-shirt, her gloves and her scarf today.  She sat with her head buried in her arms, her shoulders shaking with her sobs.

"Hey, darlin'."  He sat down next to her, putting an arm around her shoulder and drawing her into his side.  He stroked her hair with a gloved hand, sitting silently with her as she cried on his shoulder.

"How come nobody wants me?" she sobbed.  Her voice broke Logan's heart, and he had to struggle not to release his claws.

"That's not true, darlin'.  They said we could adopt you, and right now, Scooter and Wheels are arguing over which one gets to."  Logan had heard the beginnings of that argument as he went up the stairs.  To him, the easiest (and best solution) would be to just make her a ward of the school, but the other two men didn't want to do that.

"But they're right.  Ah am worthless, a mutant among mutants."

"Don't ever say that," Logan said fiercely.  "You are not.  Do you think I would waste my time hanging around someone who's worthless?"

She sniffled.  "No, Ah guess not."

"Those poor excuses for parents are just a couple of assholes, darlin', and don't you forget it."

"Logan, nobody will come near me.  That many people can't be wrong, can they?"

"They sure as hell can, darlin', and they are."  He hugged her tightly, loving the feeling of her in his arms.  "Don't you ever forget that."

She hugged him back and sniffled, smiling a little.  "You already said that."

"Yeah, well, I can't come up with a better thing.  So sue me."

She smiled a little more.  "Did they really say you guys could adopt me?"

"Yes they did.  Like I said before, Scooter and Wheels are arguing over who has the honor right now."

"Really?"

"Uh huh.  Eventually, they'll realize it should be you who makes the decision."

"They're arguing over me?"

Logan laughed.  "No matter how many times you ask, darlin', it will still be a yes."

She smiled through her tears.  "What did ya do ta mah parents?"

"Nothin', unfortunately.  And it wasn't just me, it was all the X-Geeks.  Wheels wouldn't let us do anything but talk.  Surprisingly, he participated.  Though, I suppose five very mad X-Geeks and Nire are pretty damn intimidating."

"All of them?"

"Of course.  You're either their friend of their prodigal daughter, darlin'."  He gently smoothed the tears off her face with his leather-gloved hands.  "I got you somethin' for graduation, darlin'.  It's down in my room, somewhere."  What better than a present to take her mind off what had just happened?

Marie trailed after him.  She hadn't expected to get anything more than maybe a hug from her friends.  Logan searched through his drawers for a bit, before finally pulling out a wrapped box.  It was definitely clothes, but it was bigger than a normal clothing box.

"Congratulations," he said gruffly, trying to make it seem as if he really didn't care.

She sat down on his bed, carefully unwrapping it.  Logan fidgeted a little, watching her.  He muttered something about 'women' and 'saving wrapping paper'.  She smiled a little, and started going a little slower - until her own impatience got the best of her.  She slid the box out and took off the top.  The scent of new leather hit her nose, and she pulled out a beautiful leather motorcycle jacket from the encasing tissue paper.  She stared at it for a moment with shining eyes before taking it - almost reverently - from the box and trying it on.  It was the perfect size.

Logan could tell by looking at her that she loved it.  The way she flew into his arms and gave him a bone-cracking hug erased any doubts he might have had.

"Glad you like it kid," he said, still trying to sound gruff.  But it was kind of hard when she was in his arms, and he could _really_ smell the vanilla shampoo she used.  She always smelled like vanilla.

Before Marie realized what she was doing, she brushed a feather-light kiss across Logan's rough cheek, pulling back before her power could catch hold.  When she realized what she had done - less than half a second later - she drew back even more.

"Sorry," she muttered, staring at the floor and blushing.

Logan tipped her chin up with gloved fingers until she was looking at him.  She saw that he was smiling - not a smirk, not a grin, not even a Logan-smile, but an actual smile - and that made her feel a lot better.

"You worry too much, darlin'."  Damn, she was sexy when she blushed.  He wanted her right now in every way possible.  _God damnit, she's just a kid.  Don't think about her like that_.  He congratulated himself that she was so comfortable with him that she could let go like that.  He couldn't picture her kissing anybody else at the mansion like that, and he wasn't sure he wanted her to.  Hell, he _knew_ he didn't.  That feather-light brush of her lips had sent fires racing through his body-

He _had_ to stop thinking like that.  He was just going to end up hurting Mrie if he followed up on any of those thoughts.  But the way she was looking at him - with those sorrowful eyes happy for once - he had to get out of this room before he lost control.

"You goin' to the graduation party, kid?"

"Yeah, Ah guess so.  After Ah change."

"See ya down there, then, kid."

Marie watched him go.  She could not believe she had done that.  She just hadn't been thinking… Only Logan wouldn't have flipped out, would act like it was nothing, then tell her she was being an idiot because she was worried about hurting him.  Anyone else would have flinched away, pulled away faster than the eyes could see.

When she got down to the party, she immediately sought out Logan.  Of course, he was back against the wall, staying away from everybody.  That was the perfect place for her.  Of course, before she could get there, Jubilee and Kitty caught her.

"Come on!  Come dance!  Where ya been?"  They dragged her out to the center of the floor.  She stayed out there until the first slow song came on.  Then, she worked her way through the swaying bodies to the refreshment table.  The Professor was there, serving the snacks and drinks.  She took a soda, and smiled her thanks.

_Are you okay, Rogue? _ he asked telepathically, ensuring some privacy amongst the throngs of teenagers.

_Yeah.  Ah realized that you guys are mah family, and all the family Ah need. _  She paused.  _Did they really say ya could adopt me? _

_Yes, they did, dear.  Of course, the final decision is yours.  Yes, that was an interesting arguent.  No, don't try to make a decision now. _

_Damn telepaths_, Marie thought to herself.  _Always know what you're thinking before you think it_.

The Professor laughed.  "That's right, Rogue."

The slow song ended, and Kitty and Jubilee retrieved Rogue and forced her onto the dance floor again.  Logan came and grabbed some punch.  Marie had been heading over to him, he had been sure, when her friends kidnapped her.  The only reason he was here was so he could hang out with Marie.  He was becoming as much of a codependent pansy as Scooter!

The Professor laughed again.  Almost nothing was funnier than listening to loud thoughts from Logan and Rogue.

"Stay outta my head, Wheels," Logan growled and stalked away.

Rogue finally escaped from her friends the next slow song.  She immediately went and found Logan - they would leave her alone for a little longer if she was with him, and she was out of the crowd of people.  Close crowds like this still made her nervous, even though she had on a covering dress and long opera gloves.

Logan could smell her nervousness fading as she came towards him.  He hadn't realized how tense she was until he saw her relax visibly as she got further into the shadows.  When she got beside him, she didn't slouch against the wall like he was, but definitely relaxed to that point.

"Havin' fun, kid?"

She smiled sweetly at him.  "Of course.  Ah'm hidin' from Jubes an' Kitty right now, so Ah can take a break."

"Don't lead them to me!" he said, only half-joking.

Marie laughed a little, knowing that.  She watched Bobby and Kitty slow dancing, and Jubilee and St. John on the other side of the room.  Bobby and Kitty had pretty much become an item after the prom.  Marie watched all the couples on the floor with a hint of longing in her eyes.  She wished she could be out there, but knew that wasn't likely to happen for two reasons - number one, Bobby was the only one who would ever ask, and now he was with Kitty; number two, it really made her worry to be that close to another person.  It was too easy for accidents to happen.

Logan noticed the shadowed look in Marie's eyes.  He went through his mental list of causes, trying to figure out if it was something he could fix.  Whenever she got that look, he knew he would go to the moon and back to make her smile.  Even if she made him think poetic like a pansy.  So what was going on now…slow dance…lost of people close together…the two of them about the only people not dancing…not to hard to figure out why the sudden mood swing.

Of course, as soon as he realized this, the song ended.  Oh well.  Marie noticed Jubilee and Kitty looking for her.  She shrank against Logan a little bit, almost unconsciously.  They knew exactly where she was, however, and made a beeline for where she was standing with Logan.  Kitty, Bobby, and St. John managed to get her away before Logan could protest.  That left him alone - with Jubilee.

She stood before him in her yellow dress with her hands on her hips.

"You ever gonna ask her to dance?"  Logan blinked and Jubilee sighed.  "You gotta ask her to dance.  It's not fair she doesn't get at least one slow dance at her graduation party.  Nobody else'll ask 'cept for Bobby, and she'll just say no to him.  And I think you and her are the only two who don't know that you like her.  A lot.  So you gotta ask her to dance."

Logan sighed.  "Go away, Jubilee."  She was crazy, obviously.  He didn't feel up to dealing with her.

"Fine, but you gotta ask her."  She bounced away, leaving a very relieved Logan behind.  He definitely was _not_ that transparent.  Jubilee was nuts, making things up.

Rogue was back soon.  Apparently, her friends had let her go.

"You just gonna stand here through every song?" he asked when the next slow dance came on.  She hadn't moved from her spot next to him, enjoying being able to watch the people without them coming near.

When he said that, a hurt look flashed across her face.  "No," she said as she started to walk away.

"Wait, kid," he grabbed her arm.  "I didn't mean it like that.  But you just graduated.  Shouldn't you be out there with your friends, having fun, instead of hanging in a shadowy corner with an old grouch like me?"

"Ah like it over here.  Ah've been here for three years, an' crowds like this still make me nervous.  But Ah feel safe with you."

Logan saw Jubilee look meaningfully at him.  He couldn't believe he was actually going to listen to the annoying Asian chick and do this.  "D'you wanna dance?"

She stared at him with wide eyes.  "With you?"

"Sure, why not?  It's your graduation."

She knew he was only doing it out of friendship…but she would get to dance with him again, and pretend they were together.  "Okay."

Logan put his arms around her waist as she hesitantly put hers around his neck.  She was still afraid of hurting him - he could smell that fear.  They swayed in time with the music.  Logan had to concentrate on not letting his hands wander, playing the part of a good friend.  But he did not ever want to let her go.  This situation was spinning out of control.  He did not know how long he could control himself without doing…something.


	8. Nire Goes Home (Finally!)

**Chapter Eight - Nire Goes Home (Finally!)**

****

It was Friday night, two weeks after graduation.  Most of the graduates had gone home for the summer.  The rest of the school was pretty much out on dates.  Seeing as how the mansion was almost empty, Nire rented 'Dracula 2000' and hijacked one of the smaller TV rooms.  The only people who she would let in were Logan and Rogue.

Nire took over one couch, curling up in the corner, but clearly saying the whole thing was hers.  Logan and Rogue were only too happy to share the other couch, one on each end.  As the movie progressed, Rogue inched closer and closer to Logan.  He could smell the nervousness that came from watching a good horror flick emanating from her.  She stopped when she was a hairs-breadth away from him.

Her hand was on his leg.  He wasn't sure if she realized this or not, but he was too busy concentrating on saying the alphabet backwards to care.  The end of the movie was nearing.  Vampires were popping out everywhere.  He heard their heart rates increase, and smelt the jumpiness on Marie.  Acting on impulse, he took Marie's hand in his, and as rewarded with a flash of surprise, then a bright smile.  His attention was drawn away from the movie at movement from Nire, who had been still throughout the movie.  Her hand was groping in the air next to her.  When she glanced over and realized no one was there, Logan smelt intense sadness, regret, anger, and a _strong_ desire for revenge.  He felt sorry for the girl, and even sorrier for the person who had crossed her path.  _If_ they were still alive.

His thoughts were drawn from Nire when Marie clutched convulsively at his hand.  "Shit, Marie!"  She was _strong_!  That had actually _hurt_!

She dropped his hand guiltily and withdrew a little.  "Sorry," she said in a tiny voice.

He grinned at her as he shook his hand.  "Do you sit up in your room and work out that hand?  That actually _hurt_."

Nire's scorning voice came into his head.  _She doesn't have gloves on, you ass.  She thinks that's just an excuse. _

He glanced at her gloveless hands - which he hadn't noticed - and at her face.  Oh, yes, he felt like an ass.  Watery eyes fixed on the screen, the distinct smell of salty tears wafting through the air, Marie sat in as small a space as she could with her hands in her lap.  She never wore gloves when it was just them watching movies - why would she think he would start to care now?

_Hormones.  You really are an asshole if you don't fix this. _

Logan didn't even bother with the usual 'stay outta my head', because she was right.  He pulled Marie snug against his side, feeling her stiffen a little.  He let his gloved hand come to rest on a bare part of her arm.

"Just because I said 'don't squeeze the life out of my hand' does not mean you have to move away like I'm diseased."

She managed a weak smile, but Logan did feel her relax.  He silently congratulated himself.  Yes, he could make a mess, but at least he could clean it up, too.

  
*  *  *  *  *

Rogue couldn't believe it.  She had thought he didn't care.  She thought he didn't mind her skin - and so he didn't.  When it was covered.  But as soon as he realized she didn't have gloves on…  So she moved away a bit, trying not to cry, concentrating on the movie.  It was good - she would have nightmares tonight.

Of course, she was being paranoid again.  She had been hurting his hand, that was all.  He pulled her back close to him, closer than before, so she was actually leaning against him.  She relaxed into his side, enjoying the close contact.

The movie was almost over.  Judas had been hung.  The door opened, and Rogue jumped a mile.  Logan smirked, trying not to laugh.  She twisted around, to see who was coming in.  Logan already knew it was the Professor and someone new.  Then he swiveled around, too.  This person didn't smell right.  Not at all.  Nire didn't smell like a mutant, but this person didn't even smell human.  Logan was suspicious, to say the least.  His animal senses were on fire, his instincts raging that this person was evil, and danger to his Marie.  There was little he could do, however, and it was obvious the man had come for Nire.

The man following the Professor was human to all appearances.  He had shoulder-length, wheat-gold hair framing a bronze, angular face.  His eyes were a beautiful shade of silver.  He carried himself with the grace of a deer, and was extremely handsome in the boyish way Scott was.  Logan heard Rogue's soft intake of breath and her heart start to beat faster.  Damn, was he jealous!

The man thanked the Professor in a voice like liquid silver.  He headed for the couch with Nire.  Rogue glanced at Logan and was about to pull him up and surreptitiously walk away.  This looked like a conversation that was going to need some privacy.  Nire read her intent and flashed her a pleading, 'don't leave me alone' look.  This was the first time Nire had appeared to need anyone, the first sign that she might actually want someone around.  So, Rogue didn't move, just settled more comfortably into Logan's side.

"Hey there."  The man sat on the couch next to Nire.  She gave no indication that anyone else had entered the room.  A few seconds of silence passed.  "What are you watching?"  More silence.  "Look.  Everyone is worried sick about you.  Khel couldn't find you; he's frantic.  Are you coming home any time soon?"  Silence.  The credits were rolling on the TV.  The scene folding out in front of them engrossed Marie and Logan.  "I…I'll leave if you want."  It sounded as though he was choking back a sob.  "I'll pack up my things and you'll never have to see my cursed face again."

Rogue got up to turn off the movie.

"Don't touch that!" Nire said quickly.  "I want to see if this song is by Linkin' Park or System of a Down."

Rogue sat back down as Logan grinned at her.

"By the gods do _something_!" the man burst out.  "Slap me, punch me, drive a stake through my heart, tell me to go fuck myself, scream obscenities at me.  Don't just ignore me."  His voice got quieter, more pleading.  It sounded as though his heart were breaking in two.  "Please, my love…" he all but whispered.

This got a reaction from Nire.  She whirled on him.  "Don't you _dare_ call me that," she hissed.  "Do not dirty that word with your foul tongue.  What in the Nine Hells do you think you are doing here?"  Her volume began to rise, and she jumped up to stand in front of him.  "How can you even show your face to me after what you did?  After what you _said_.  You leave without telling anyone, on some gods-be-damned self-pity trip, and no one can find you.  Then you come back and say things like that?  How can you wake up in the morning and face the day knowing you did that to someone who trusted you so utterly and so completely.  You do not even deserve to walk this earth."

"Please," came the whispered plea.  "You…you are the light in the dreary darkness I call life.  You're the one who makes me want to face the day.  You light up my world.  I…I don't think I could survive without you in my life.  You're my everything.  I…'

"Shove the poetry up your ass.  You disgust me.  The fact that you would presume to say that after…"

Logan could smell the turmoil of emotions emanating from both of them.  Strangely enough, they were both almost the same.  Depression, longing, fear, anger (more so in Nire), and…love?

"Because, gods-be-damned, I.  Didn't.  Do.  It.  Someone impersonated me to get at you.  Or to get at me, or the both of us.    The gods know we've made enough enemies together…  If you don't believe me - which you obviously don't - then _look_!  You _know_ I can't hide anything from you."

"Fine," Nire said viciously.  There was silence for a moment.  It was a tense silence, filled with anticipation.  This was almost better than one of those romance movies.  _And just as retardedly sappy_, Logan thought.

The pregnant silence was broken with a gasp from Nire.  She visibly paled and began to shake.  Logan could smell the horror at what she had said, and the saltiness of her incipient tears.

"By the gods," she said, backing away in shock.  "You _were_ telling the truth."

The man stood up as her tears spilled over.  He just stood with his arms spread slightly.

Nire flew into his arms, burying her head in his chest as she whispered, over and over, "I'm so sorry.  I'm so, so sorry."

The man was starting to weep, now, too.  Rogue could have sworn they were tears of blood dripping down his face, but when she blinked, they were normal.  Logan was positive he could smell blood, but then it abruptly changed to the salt of mere tears.  He really did not like this man.

The two were holding onto each other like they would never let go, locked in a deep kiss, tears streaming down both their faces.

"Another pansy," Logan muttered.

"Shut up," Rogue hissed as she socked him in the shoulder.  She was intensely jealous of Nire.  She would probably never be able to do that - the newest idea, yoga, wasn't working - and the odds of someone loving her like that were slim to none.  She could hear the man whispering, "I though I'd lost you.  When no one could find you…" The odds of Logan ever looking at her with such love in his eyes were almost laughable.  It was beyond hopeless.

They kissed the tears off each other's face and stood apart a little.

"Will you come home now, sweetie?" the man asked gently, stroking her hair.

" 'Course I will, love.  Just let me get my stuff."

They walked out, hand in hand.  Logan rolled his eyes.

"Pansy," he said, turning off the movie.

_A pansy who could kick your ass almost as easily as I did, _ came the dry comment in his head.

_Stay outta my head. _

"Ah'll be back," Rogue said softly.  She got up and left before Logan could ask where she was going.

  
*  *  *  *  *

Rogue was heading up to her room.  She wanted to say goodbye to Nire without anyone else around.  She hadn't realized how close they had become until now, when Nire was leaving.  She was one of the only two people who didn't flinch away when she bumped into Rogue's bare skin.  Rogue remembered one time, in the middle of the night, a half-asleep Nire had all but run her down.  Bare skin had brushed against bare skin, not long enough for the connection to open up.  While she had been freaking out, near tears, Nire had just laughed it off, much as Logan did.  The two were so similar, it was almost scary.

Seeing the two of them in the TV room also gave Rogue the tiniest sliver of hope.  The man was obviously much older than Nire, yet their relationship appeared to be working.  Her situation with Logan apparently wasn't completely hopeless because of the age difference.  Just everything else.

Rogue opened the door to her room.  The man was sitting on Rogue's bed as Nire ran kisses up his ears - ears that were now elegant, long, and pointed.  Rogue was positive that he had had human ears in the TV room.  The man was kissing and nibbling on Nire's neck as she lavished attention on his ears.

As soon as Rogue came in, they broke apart.

"You explain," Nire said when she noticed Rogue staring at the exotic ears.  She set about cleaning up her stuff.

"I'm obviously not human," the man said in his silken voice.  "I do not come from this planet.  Our home is another planet, in another…"

"Dimension," Nire supplied from the bathroom.

"It's a land of swords and sorcery, where the creatures of fairy tales abound.  I happen to be one of those creatures - an elf."

"You probably think we're crazy," Nire said, coming out of the bathroom.  She put the last of her things in her bag.  "But we're not.  I'll take ya ta visit sometime."  She suddenly wrapped Rogue in a fierce hug, and, just as quickly, stepped away.

"No, Ah believe ya."  And, she found that she really did.  "Ah'm gonna miss ya."

"If it ever gets to be too much, come for a visit.  Among my family, you would be one of the normal ones.  A mental shout will get me attention, and I'll come getcha."

"Okay."  There were tears in Rogue's eyes.  The three left the room - now seeming empty - and started to walk to the front door.

"Everyone's going to be ecstatic to see you, love." The man - elf - gave Nire a one-armed hug.  Now, his ears were back to human looking.  "Many of them were worried," he continued quietly, "that you had…had committed suicide."  Rogue could just barely hear them - even with Wolverine's powers.

Nire laughed.  "No, I hadn't gotten that far yet."

Immediately, she looked as though she regretted her words, and he had backed her up against the wall.  "What do you mean 'yet'?"  He had pushed the sleeves of the sweatshirt she always wore up before she knew what he was doing.  Fine white scars crisscrossed her wrists and arms, along with new scabs.  Rogue unconsciously rubbed her own upper arms, where her scars were.  It was remarkably easy to hide her dirty secret from everyone, even the telepaths.

"Okay.  Give me th' speech.  Hurry up, I wanna go home."

He gently traced over the scabs, infinite sadness in his eyes.  "No, you know it already.  I won't waste my breath, love.  You know Khel's going to tear into you, though."

Nire grimaced.  "Yeah, I know."

Rogue watched the interplay.  She could see - she could smell - how much the elf cared for Nire, and worried about her.  Watching them was just making her feel bad for herself.  Knowing that she would never gave something like this made her want to get her razor…

As Nire finished her short statement, the Professor and Jean appeared.  "What's going on?  You two are broadcasting strongly enough…"

Nire tried to shove her sleeves down fast enough to hide her scars, but she wasn't fast enough.  She cursed herself for not paying attention enough to hear them coming as Jean grabbed her wrists.

"What's this?"

Nire grunted in answer while Rogue faded into the background.  She didn't want any attention brought to her when someone was talking about this subject.  Nire's boyfriends slung an arm around Nire's shoulders.  More jealousy from Rogue at something she would never have.

"There are people you should talk to."

Nire rolled her eyes.  "Yeah, yeah, yeah.  Heard it all before.  Don't care."

Jean glanced at the Professor, clearly unsure as to what to do.  She had never had to deal with this with someone like Nire before.

"Would you please come up to my office, Nire?"  This was not a situation that could be talked about out in the hall.

"No.  I'm going home."  Nire winced as she got kicked in the ankle.

"Yes you will."

Nire growled.  "Fine.  Whatever.  See ya lay-dduh, Rogue.  I have a feelin' the three o' them aren't gonna let me go home until this is 'talked through'.  He thinks it's his fault, so he's gonna support them."  She rolled her eyes as they walked away, leaving Rogue alone in the suddenly empty hallway.

  
*  *  *  *  *

"Okay, let's get this over with."  Nire stood defiantly in the Professor's office.  "I'm a sick kid, I need help, this isn't a good way to deal with my problems, I've heard it all before."  Nire felt the Professor trying to probe into her mind.  "Don't bother trying.  Nothing you see of my moods is real.  I'm a more powerful telepath than you could ever be."

"Wait, I thought you did fire?"  Jean looked confused.

"I'm not really a mutant.  It's a long story that I don't want to get into.  Nothing you say is going to help me.  Going back to my family will.  I can get all the therapy I need from them."

"But you should get professional help."  That was the Professor.

"Look.  Some shrink who doesn't know me won't help this."  She let down her shields for a moment, letting the Professor plunge into a black pool of darkness.  Just as quickly, she shoved him out, leaving his mind reeling.  "Being around people who keep tabs on me at all times, who know my every move from telepathic contact, will."

Jean looked about to argue, but the Professor silenced her.  "She's right.  And her… family… will keep her safe."  The Professor had gotten the sense that it wasn't her biological family, but a group of close friends who lived together.

"Look. I'll bring you to meet them later, in a few days, if it will make you feel better.  Then you can feel like you've done your duty and go back to your happy lives without feeling like you just let me go to end up killing myself somewhere."

"I'm going to have to do something about that scathing tongue of yours," the man next to her muttered, letting go of her hand and putting an arm around her waist.  "I thought you had gotten that out of you six years ago."

Nire laughed.  "Can I go now?"

The Professor reigned in his curiosity about the strange girl and nodded.  There was nothing any of them could do for the girl.

In an uncharacteristically kind offer, Nire said, "If you ever need help dealing with the Brotherhood, contact me.  Rogue knows how.  I've got sufficient firepower in The Band to help anyone."

The Professor nodded his thanks, instinctively knowing that 'The Band' was the girl's family.  Jean was visibly doubtful that they were doing the right thing, but she would not question the Professor.

"Come!  The Band awaits!"  Nire ran out with her man following close behind.  The Professor smiled.  It seemed like the surly girl who was too old for her years was replaced by the fifteen-year-old she should be, for the moment.

  
*  *  *  *  *

Rogue waited with Logan in the foyer.  Nire came down the stairs with the man - elf - following behind her.

"Well, bye guys," the girl said to them.  She gave Rogue another hug and Logan a handshake.  Then she chuckled evilly.  "But just when you think I'm gone for good, I'll be back to make your lives miserable again."  It had to be almost 10:30PM, and Rogue wished Nire would at least stay this one last night.  "Are ya gonna walk with us t' th' edge of the grounds?"

Rogue nodded quickly.  Logan grunted his usual, noncommittal grunt.  He might actually miss Nire, but he couldn't wait for the strange man-who-didn't-smell-human to leave.  And he certainly wouldn't trust Rogue alone with him.  They walked out the front door, but instead of going to the front gates, Nire headed for the woods.  They saw Ororo on the lawn, and Nire went up to her.

"Going home, Nire?" the weather goddess asked, looking at the handsome man following the girl.

"Yeah."  Nire hugged her tightly for a second.  "Thanks for letting me hang out in the gardens."

"You're welcome.  Come back to visit, okay?"

"You can bet on it!  You can't get rid of me that easily!"

Rogue was amazed that she had never bumped into Nire in the gardens, where she, too, spent a lot of the time.  They continued on to the grove Rogue had shown Nire on the first day.  The girl dropped her pack in the middle of it and pulled out some clothes - the clothes she had first met them in.

"Be right back," she said and disappeared into the trees.

"Me too," the man said.  He went in the other direction.

They both came back at the same time, dressed in what could only be described as breeches and tunics.  Definitely not any recent fashions.  Nire began to rummage through her pack, taking out various pieces of weaponry.  She strapped on two scabbards, with scimitars in them, and tucked daggers into her belt.  A quiver of arrows went over her shoulder and she pulled out a bow.  As miniature crossbow went up her sleeve, and a diamond yo-yo was tucked into either side of her belt.  A whip went on her right side next to the yo-yo.  The elf was already similarly outfitted.

Nire dug through her pack, making sure nothing was left.  She pulled out a stiletto, tucking it into her boot, and another small crossbow, which she also tucked into her belt.  Then she closed her pack and stood up, handing it to Rogue.

"Will you hold this for me a while?"

"Uh, sure."  She took the pack.

"How the hell did all that stuff fit in there?" Logan growled before Rogue could ask it.

Nire smiled.  "It's bigger than it looks.  You can take the stuff in there out and put it back in, but please don't put anything else in.  Oops, hold on."  Nire took back her pack and pulled out a forest-green cloak.  Not the kind Rogue wore, not a modern cloak, but an honest-to-god sleeveless cloak from when they were first invented.  "Okay.  Bye Rogue, bye Logan.  I'll see ya both again someday."

Nire took her boyfriend's hand and made a gesture.  Before either of the mutants could say anything, the two took a step forward and disappeared.

Rogue and Logan both had hundreds of questions, but had no way to contact Nire and ask her.  Rogue struggled not to cry.  All she had left now was Logan - Nire had gone home, and all the rest of her friends were either with their own families or their friends' families.

Logan could smell her held-back tears, and gave her a one-armed hug.  He let his arm linger, not wanting to let go.  He and Rogue turned, walking silently back to the mansion.


	9. An Instant's Control

(A/N:  Nire's story is up. At least, the first chapter is.  What is the title, you ask?  "For the World is Hollow And I Have Touched the Sky".  Don't I come up with cool names?  Hehehehe.  I'm kinda takin' a break from this story to write that one, 'kay?  Well, too bad if it's not.  R/R, pleeeee-uhz.)

**Chapter Nine - An Instant's Control**

Nire was as good as her word.  Within the week, she came and got the Professor and Jean, and showed them her 'family'.  They still had millions of questions, but she would answer nary a one.  Unfortunately, Rogue was not there when she came – she was off on a motorcycle ride with Logan, testing out her new jacket.  She could not have asked for a better present – or a better friend.

She missed Nire - she missed their midnight chats and just having someone else in the room with her.  Although it had been disconcerting at first, she had grown used to it.  She kept on having to remind herself that the girl - the girl who was three years younger than her but seemed 30 years older - was not dead, merely gone back home.  Supposedly, 'only a thought away'.

The nightmares had gone away for a while, but now they had come back.  A mix of Magneto's nightmares of the Holocaust and Logan's of the experiments done to him - not a pretty combination.  She kept them quiet, though, managing not to cry out.  She did not want to place any more guilt on Logan's shoulders.  The lack of sleep began to show, though.  Logan could see it, and he was getting worried.

One night, she was locked deep in one of Logan's nightmares.  There were the champagne-drinking men, a party going on around him.  She couldn't wake herself up, like she usually could.  This was not good.  The Logan in her head felt guilty enough already.  Now, he was going to be…probably insufferable for a few days.  God damn it!  Why couldn't she wake up?  She could feel the pain - it was like her whole body was on fire.  She didn't think she could take this much longer…

  
*  *  *  *  *

Logan sat bolt upright in bed.  He had been woken by something.  There it was again - the noises of someone in the throes of a truly terrible nightmare and the salt of tears - it was coming from Marie's room.  He was in there in a heartbeat, kneeling by the side of her bed and grabbing her thrashing shoulders.  She was crying in her sleep.

"Wakeup, kid, it's just a dream.  C'mon Marie."

Her eyes flickered open.  "Logan?"  She was still crying, so he gathered her in his arms - he had thought to grab his gloves and flannel shirt - and held her to his chest, stroking her hair.

"Shh.  It was just a dream.  Just a dream.  It wasn't real."  When her tears stopped, he asked, "Do you remember it?"

She slid off his lap, slightly embarrassed.  "No," she said as she wiped off her face.

Logan could smell the lie.  The only nightmares he could think of that she would lie about were his.  "It was one of mine, wasn't it?"

She nodded mutely, knowing he wouldn't take kindly to the idea.  Of course, she was right.  He let out a string of savage curses, which she knew were aimed at him.

When his cursing tapered off, she said, "Well, Ah'm glad you're in there, nightmares and all."  At his shocked look, she explained.  "Who else would be there to make Magneto shut up when he's acting up?  Who else would keep the voices back, making them leave me alone.  It's not just the meditation - it's partly you.  If ya weren't in there, Ah'm pretty sure Ah'd've gone crazy."  There were other things she didn't say, like that was all she had of him when he left; that when she was feeling especially bad, he tried to make her feel better.

"You're not even eighteen yet, kid."

"Ah will be in a few weeks," she cut in.

"But not yet, and you can't tell me you didn't get memories of my sex life, too.  I promised to take care of you, and I always keep my promises.  And look what I did."  He felt defeated, a rare thing.  Defeated and guilty.

Marie lay a hand on his arm - his guilt was so strong that she could smell it.  "An' that's probably the best thing ya coulda done ta take care of me.  Trust me, Ah know."

They chatted for a while.  Finally, when Logan could no longer smell her fear of going back to sleep, he stood up and said, "It's late kid.  Get some sleep."  He headed for the door.

"Logan?"  Her almost pitiful voice stopped him.  "Stay with me?  Just 'till Ah'm asleep?"  She felt like a little kid right now.

"Sure, kid.  Move over."  She scooted over and slid under her thin sheet.

Logan knew that this would look bad to anyone who happened to walk in, but since when had he cared what anyone else though?  Marie settled herself between his arm and his side.  This felt…right.  Logan had no other way to describe it.  Lying there with Marie in his arms felt right, like he wanted to do it every night for the rest of his life.

The next morning, Logan woke up, disoriented.  Shit, he must have fallen asleep.  Damn, but it was so comfortable!  Marie was curled up into his side.  He tried to extricate himself from the bed.  He had said he would leave once she was asleep.  How she would feel about him still begin there, he didn't know.

Unfortunately, it didn't work.  His movements woke her up.  She smiled sleepily at him, and his heart jumped.  Lord, was she beautiful in the morning!  Beautiful, but too young, too innocent, too pure for him to have his thoughts heading where they were.

"Thanks," she said softly.  "Sorry for wakin' ya up last night."  She wasn't really sorry, though.  That had to have been the best sleep she had gotten in years.  And then she had woken up in his arms.  If she could wake up like that every morning…

"Don't worry 'bout it, kid."  Logan wished he could wake up to that smile every morning.  Even if it turned him into a weak little pansy.  He felt like he was drowning in her eyes, spiraling down into their black depths.  No!  He knew where this was going.  She was _still a kid_.  "See ya later today, kid."  Out her door he strode, nonchalantly, to take a cold shower.

  
*  *  *  *  *

Rogue made her final decision on the adoption issue.  She knew that it wouldn't matter who it was officially, because they were her family, anyways.  She couldn't really believe they had put that choice on her.  She would have preferred if it were cut and clean, no decision to be made.  The way she saw it, she could never be more than maybe a little sister to Scott and Jean.  There was still enough of Logan in her head to make her, occasionally, hostile to Scott.  And - to be quite honest - she was jealous of Jean.  The redhead was everything Rogue could never be - namely, touchable, and the object of Logan's lust-filled desires.

The Professor, on the other hand, was already her surrogate father - and Scott and Jean's, for that matter - and there were no feelings in her head about him, other than hers (she had gotten rid of Magneto's long ago).  Nothing would have to be changed on any of her forms, because he was already listed as her Guardian.

This is what she told them - the edited version, of course - and, as she expected, they all approved.  A couple days later, it was complete.  Nothing really changed, but it was just the knowledge that made her feel…really loved again.

  
*  *  *  *  *

Rogue's eighteenth birthday was a tiny affair.  Her four teenage friends couldn't get back, so they mailed her their gifts - a shirt from Kitty, a scarf from Jubilee, a Linkin' Park CD from Bobby, and a System of a Down CD from St. John.  She got a joint-letter from Kitty and Jubilee, apologizing for not being able to be there, and a promise to throw her another part once they got back.  Then they went into a detailed account of everything they had done so far - including Jubilee creating a minor ruckus in the mall when she tossed some plasma balls (none lethal, of course) at an annoying salesclerk.  Luckily for her, the news didn't take it very far, and she was never identified.  Rogue got a stomachache laughing over that escapade, and wished she could have been there.

She got her favorite dinner and a cake.  Well, everybody got her favorite dinner and some cake, but they were made for her.  Then came the gifts - all of the X-men and her were sitting at one table.  She always sat with them over the summer - it was much preferable than to sitting alone.  Jean gave her a pair of jeans - easy and safe because everyone wore jeans.  Scott's gift was two charm bracelets and a couple of charms.  The Professor gave her a boxed set of Charles Dickens books - he wrote some of her favorites.  From Ororo was a book on gardening - working in the garden was the one place where she could touch living things without gloves on, so she spent a lot of time there.

She had save Logan's present for last.  Before opening it, she paused to smile inwardly.  She was the only student who always got something from every one of the teachers.  She had a new family, and one she held dear.  The group of mutants was it.

Logan had gotten her a box.  That wasn't going to help her guess what it was.  Still, she unwrapped it slowly, knowing that drove him absolutely nuts.  The box showed absolutely nothing.

"Hmmm.  Maybe I should wait until later to open this, when Ah'm alone," she said innocently.  The whole table - especially Scott - hid a smile at Logan's faint growl.  Rogue tried not to laugh at how easy it was for her to get under his skin like that.

It was a heavy box.  Knowing Logan - and she was pretty sure she knew the _real_ Logan - this would be something good.  And, of course, she was right.  Out she pulled a snow globe with a little village inside.  It was perfect in every tiny detail, right down to the people walking the miniature streets.  A brass plaque on the mahogany base said "Nome, Alaska".  She shook it up gently, watching the glittering white 'snow' settle down to the bottom again.  A not at the bottom of the box caught her eye.  It said, quite simply, "_If you still want to go, I'll take you someday._"  She nodded slightly to him as she read this, then gave him a quick hug, as she had everyone else.  She set all of her birthday presents to the side, and they finished their cake and ice cream, celebrating Rogue's birthday quietly.

She kept half-hoping that Nire might show up.  Of course, that didn't happen.  When Rogue found out that she had missed Nire's visit, she was sure that she would never see the girl again.  It had been a good friendship - if a strange and fleeting one - but it had ended as soon as the fifteen-year-old had left.  All in all, Rogue actually had a happy birthday - mostly because, for the first time, Logan was there.

  
*  *  *  *  *

Scott's leg was almost healed - he walked with a cane now.  This delighted Logan to no ends.  This meant that Scott got no peace at all.  Luckily, the world had bee very quiet.  The Brotherhood was, apparently, lying low.  What their motives were, no one knew, but at least there were no missions.  When a member of the X-men was incapacitated, it was an extremely bad thing.  The youngest, newest members could only go on pickups for a while, until they were used to working together.  With Scott out, that left only 3 people.  Even with the four of them, they were often sorely outnumbered.  So, Scott, Jean, Ororo, the Professor, and even Logan (to an extent) thanked their lucky stars that nothing was happening.

The highlight of Rogue's summer came one day as she was going through her yoga routine in Ororo's garden.  Regardless of its effects on her mutation, there was no way she would stop yoga.  It left her more flexible, more lithe, and toned.  Hell, she felt healthier, period.  She was in the lotus position, meditating as a relaxation at the end of her routine.  As usual, after she had cleared her mind, she concentrated on turning off her power, if only for a moment's time.  The Professor had once asked her to verbalize how she did this, but she could not.  The closest she could come was the analogy of trying to find the power switch and holding it in the 'off' position.

On this day, she found it, if only for half a second.  Her power felt like a constant tingling under her skin, a feeling she did not notice anymore.  What she _did_ notice was the instant in which there was nothing - and she knew this was it.  For the first time since her mutation had manifested, Rogue could touch again - well, no.  She had the definite potential, now.  That instant was too brief to make any difference - but the instant could grow!  It _would_ grow, if she kept on practicing.  She let out a jubilant shout.  Her first instinct, as always, was to go find Logan.  He would celebrate with her.  She curbed that instinct, though, deciding to wait until she could do…something…actually touch him.  But Logan would most definitely be the first to know.

She tried to find the switch again, but couldn't.  Still, she didn't get discouraged.  It happened once, and it would happen again.  Hopefully, for a lengthier amount of time.

She packed up her yoga mat, and headed back downstairs.  The urge to tell someone - Logan - was strong, but she ignored it.  She was going to keep this a secret until she could touch someone - once again, Logan - for real.  Logan noticed that Marie looked unusually happy, but he didn't say anything.  If she wanted to share, she would - she always did.  Anything that mad his Marie (she was _not_ his) happy made him happy, too.  Even if he did not know what it was.


	10. Running

**Chapter 10 - Running**

"Ah can't take this anymore!"  Rogue slammed into her room, muttering under her breath after that one outburst.

A group of new students had made their way to Mutant High.  Four of them, eighteen or older, who had been wandering for a couple years after bring thrown out of their homes by their families.  They had been at the school for a few days before she saw them.  Apparently, they had already been warned of the girl with lethal skin, for when she stepped out of her room and they were nearby, three of them visibly paled, and all of them rushed away.

Of course, this wasn't anything new, but usually, she didn't have PMS.  Also, Logan was usually there to make her feel better.  But, the Professor had found a new lead, and Logan had gone off chasing it.  So it was a toss-up between getting depressed and getting angry.  The flipped coin landed on anger, so now she was storming through her room.

She grabbed a backpack and started chucking things into it.  She wasn't exactly running - she was merely going to the city for a few days.  She had enough money to rent a room at a hotel.  The Logan in her head told her she was being foolish, but she told him to shut up, because this was exactly what he would have done.

She turned around and - Nire was standing in her doorway, dressed in those old-fashioned clothes.

"Hey Rogue.  Que pasa!"

"Uh, hi Nire.  Uh…Didn't really expect ta see ya again."

"Hey, tol'ja I'd come back once ya thought ya were rid o' me fer good.  Listen, 'staid o' runnin' t' th' city, come stay wi' me fer a c'upla hours, er days, er weeks.  Whatevuh.  Meet me family, seein' as how I've already met yers."

"Well…" This definatley sounded better than the city.  Safer, too, even though she knew nothing of the girl's family.  "Alright.  Sure.  What'll Ah need?"

"Ummmm…Warm clothes.  Very warm clothes.  It may be summuh, but it's still cold.  And…obviously, the essentials.  Deodorant, hairbrush, that shit.  An'…wait, I thought o' somethin', then I forgot…oh yeah!  Leave a note fer Logan an' th' rest."

Rogue did what Nire said, tossing everything into her backpack.  "Ummm…"

Nire guessed her hesitant question.  "Yeah, those clothes 're cool.  Ev'rybody's used t' it, cuz o' me.  Ready?  Let's go."  Nire took Rogue's gloved hand.  "Okay.  Yer probably gonna feel a li'l queasy, but it'll pass, quickly."  Nire made the hand motions, they took a step, and Rogue was in a completely different world.

  
  
(A/N:  What do you think?  Dream or meet Nire's family?  I want a couple of votes, ya know?  Oh yeah, one more thing.  About Nire's accent - picture a mix of New England, Michigan, New York, Worcester (slightly different form NE), Boston (once more, slightly different), and Rhode Island (like the previous two, a bit different from just general NE).  Her accent is the way I talk, cuz my family's from all over, and that was what all my friends said I sound like (we had an hour conversation about the peculiar blend that my accent is one day, damn were we bored!).


	11. Nire's World

**Chapter Eleven - Nire's World**

            The first thing Rogue noticed - besides the fact that she felt sick - was that it was cold, like early, early spring.  She was glad that she had put on her coat.  The second thing was the people.  She could only see a couple humans.  It was…unnerving.  There were about en people milling around the camp, along with a bunch of children.  The children swarmed over to Rogue and Nire, but Rogue was all eyes for the camp.  It was a ring of tents around a huge fire pit, which was blazing brightly.  Little campfires were scattered throughout the tents.  A forest of trees was not far off from the edge of the tents.  Far off on the horizon, a stretch of imposing mountains could be seen rising from the tundra, their craggy, snow-covered peaks stretching for the crystal blue sky.  The starkly beautiful scene was not marred in the least by the vestiges of a technological civilization.

            "English, kiddos, English."

            Rogue abruptly realized that the children had been babbling to her in a foreign language.  Their close proximity was beginning to make her uncomfortable.  They were just little children - what happened if one of them chanced to brush against bare skin?

            They were firing rapid questions at her, now in perfect English.  "What's your name?"  "Where're you from?"  "You here to stay?"  "Can you do any magic?"  "Know how to fight?"

            Nire noticed how uncomfortable Rogue was getting.  "Hey!" she shouted above their voices.  "Back off kiddos."  They kids all backed away a couple of steps, but didn't stop talking, obviously teasing Nire.  "You guys are incorrigible!  Go play a game or something!  Come back later."  There was laughter in Nire's voice as she shooed away the children.

            The kids scattered, and the adults started to migrate towards them.

            "This is me family," Nire said, extending her arm and sweeping it in a wide arc.  "Welcome to The Band."  Her voice changed to project across the entire encampment.  "Hey, y'all!  Listen up!"  All noise stopped and all heads turned to face Nire and Rogue, including those of the children.  Rogue was suddenly self-conscious at being the center of attention.  "This is Rogue.  She's here on a visit, getting away from her life.  Make her feel at home."  There was a chorus of hellos and warm smiles.  "A word of caution."  Rogue winced as she realized what was coming.  This was what she had hoped to get away from - she thought Nire knew that.  "Trust me," Nire muttered.  "Like I said before, you're one of the least freakiest amongst us."  Her voice rose again.  "Don't touch her skin unless it's covered by clothing.  Bare skin is lethal.  Got it?"  There were various noises of assent through out the camp.

            Rogue wished Nire had said nothing, but knew that the people had to be warned when there were so many little kids around.  Caution on her part just would not be enough.

            "C'mon.  I'll take you around to meet everyone."  Rogue followed Nire around as the fifteen-year-old introduced her to all the people.  There were several elves - two of which had ebony black skin, darker than anything she had ever seen - but, contrary to what she had first thought, most were human.  There was one ugly little creature with impeccable manners that Nire said was a goblin.  Everybody, even though they knew of her skin, offered a handshake and a few words.  None of them looked afraid or smelled of fear.

            "Are ya hungry?"  Nire glanced at the sun.  " 'S nearly noon."

            Rogue nodded meekly.  Her head was whirling.  She had millions of questions, but couldn't voice them yet.  These people honestly seemed to accept her, this mass amount of people.  She was speechless, to say the least.

            Nire led her to one of the logs that served as chairs and handed her a bowl of soup from the kettle hanging over the big fire, and took one for herself.  It tasted like nothing Rogue had ever had before, but it was good.  As she spooned the soup into her mouth, a couple of children came and sat cross-legged in a semi-circle before her.

            "Is your name really Rogue?" one of the little girls asked.

            "Uh-huh."

            "I'm Ivy.  Did you mommy name you Rogue?"

            "No.  Ah named mahself when Ah left mah parents."

            "I like it.  It's a pretty name.  How old are you?"

            "Eighteen.  How old are you?"

            "I'm five.  This is my sister, Dawn." She indicated the little girl on her left.  The two of them looked scrawny and malnourished.  "She's four.  The baby's Amariyah.  She's only two."

            "Hi."

            "So what would happen if we touched your skin?"

            Rogue unconsciously drew herself inwards, so as to occupy the least space possible.  "Well, uh, Ah'd suck out your life force.  You'd be dead if Ah couldn't pull away fast enough."  Being accepted by these people was not worth the curiosity of a little girl causing her downfall.  Best to scare them away now.

            "What happened to you?" the wide-eyed little girl asked.  The other two looked on silently with huge eyes.

            Rogue furrowed her brow.  "What do you mean?"

            "Is it a curse?  Was a spell put on you?  What happened?"

            "Oh.  It's just mah mutation."  The little girl cocked her head.  "Ah was born with it, an' it started affecting people when Ah turned fifteen."

            "Why?"

            "Well…" This conversation was starting to make Rogue uncomfortable.

            Nire noticed this.  "Hey," she said sharply.  "Not polite.  Change the subject."

            This turned the girls' attentions on Nire.  "Why not?"

            "Cuz.  It isn't.  How would you like it if someone started asking you why your aunt treated you and Dawn like slave labor?"

            The little girls' face fell, as did her sister's.  "Sorry," Ivy said to Rogue.

            Rogue felt sorry for the two of them, their faces looked so pitiful.  She figured that this must have been a recent thing; that they hadn't been living with Nire for long.  Nire put down her bowl and knelt on the ground, her arms open.  The two girls threw themselves into her arms, receiving and giving tight hugs.  Nire rubbed their backs and gave them each a kiss on the cheek.  Then she sat back on her seat, ruffling their hair.  Rogue thought that Nire acted a lot like a mother to them, event though she was only fifteen.

            "You girls want some lunch?" Nire grabbed three more bowls and spooned child-sized portions into them, handing them to the two older children.  "C'mon Amariyah.  You want some soup, too?"  Nire took the toddler in her lap and started spooning her bites of soup.

            Dawn kneeled before Rogue, putting a tiny hand on her knee.  "Stories?  You know any stories?"

            "Well…"  Rogue wracked her brain for stories other than the classic fairytales that would be suitable for such young children.

            "Statue of Liberty," Nire said.  "Tell them what Logan told you of the fight 'twixt him and Sabertooth."

            Rogue glanced questioningly at the three young children.  They seemed too young to her to hear such a tale.

            "They've seen worse right in their own backyard.  It'll keep 'em entertained."

            Rogue commenced to tell the story, adding a few fanciful embellishments of her own.  The three children watched her with wide eyes as she got into the story, telling it as much with her gloved hands as with her words.  She found that she liked storytelling.  There weren't any little children at the mansion, only teenagers.  She liked the rapt attention of the three little girls, and of the other children who wandered over to listen.  Unbeknownst to her, many of the adults were also listening and enjoying her story.

            What surprised her was that Dawn climbed into her lap to listen.  This left her with only one hand to motion with, but that was enough.

            _It's her naptime, _ Nire 'pathed to Rogue, surprising her a little.  Although she had known Nire was telepathic, she hadn't really believed it until now.  Amariyah was already asleep, cradled in Nire's lap.  _She still takes sporadic naps, and is probably tired. _

            So, Rogue held Dawn in one arm and continued her story.  She was happy - happier than she was at the mansion, unless Logan was with her.  So, of course, generally she was pretty damn happy there, but still…it was very nice here.  Once her story was over, the children begged for another.  Nire intervened and told them to wait for another time.  She and other adults took the sleeping children and put them into a tent.  Apparently, each of the adults had their own, but all the kids were in one.  The rest of the kids scattered off to various games, leaving only the adults.

            "So, are you staying here for long?" a man with shoulder-length blonde hair and gray eyes - Danilo, Rogue thought Nire had called him - asked.  The man was dressed rather flamboyantly in complete red.

            "No, Ah just needed to get away from my life for a couple of days."

            "Ah, the most common reason for becoming a member of Nire's band of adventurers.  She should turn this place into a fancy resort for the rich and charge people money to come here."

            "Oh, shut up, Dan." The raven-haired woman with striking blue eyes and pale skin who was sitting next to him - they were obviously together - socked him gently in the shoulder.  "If she did, you wouldn't come here anymore.  Wait, no, you probably would."

            Everyone laughed at that.  "I'd never charge my family for coming to my resort," Nire laughed.

            "Oh," Dan said teasingly, "so now, not only have you coerced us into becoming your friends, but your family, as well?"

            "Hey, what can I say.  You guys are all I got.  'Sides - who's uncle adopted me?"

            "He should have known that was a mistake."

            Rogue watched this interplay, amazed.  This was a totally different Nire than the one who had stared at the mansion.  This one was friendly, and actually joking with people.  She was letting others tease her without trying to kill them.

            "So, where are you from?"  This came from one of the ebony-skinned elves with long white hair and golden eyes.  She was leaning comfortably in the arms of a huge man with dark hair and ice-blue eyes.  Rogue did not remember the elf's name, but she thought the man was called Fyodor.

            "Westchester, New York."

            "A city in my world," Nire explained.  "You've obviously got about sixty million questions running through your head.  Fire away, before you explode."

            Rogue paused for a moment to decide what to ask first.  "Well… How did you get us here?  One second, we were in mah room, then a step later, we were standing here."  She was starting to get cold from the incessant win that blew over the tundra.

            "Magic.  Seriously.  It's a gate spell I invented.  It's really tiring, but it can get me to anywhere, anywhen.  Comes in hand when you're trying to rescue people, but after casting it a couple times, or holding it open for a while, I'm exhausted.

            "Magic?"

            "Sure.  That's one of the things I love about here.  Magic doesn't work as well on Earth."

            "Where are we, anyway?"

            A man in the back answered.  "Icewind Dale, on Faerûn, on the planet Toril.  Right outside of Ten Towns.  Those mountains you see in the distance are the Spine of the World.  Over that way are the dwarven mines.  Icewind Dale is home to not only Bruenor Battlehammer, ninth king of Mithril Hall, but also the famous drow ranger, Drizzt Do'Urden."

            The other ebony-skinned, white-haired elf smiled, his lavender eyes twinkling with amusement.  "And I'm sure that draws many people to the frigid plains of the Dale, the chance to see Bruenor and myself, Frajen."

            "No, no, no," the man scoffed.  "Nobody cares about _you_.  They are coming in hopes of winning the hand of fair Catti-brie, princess of Mithril Hall.  Well, she would be if old Gandalug weren't still kicking around."

            "Please," the auburn-haired woman next to the dark elf said.l  "I ain't fer marryin' anyone, right now.  An' may th' gods help ye if me da ever hears ye sayin' that about his many-times great grandda."

            Rogue noticed the flicker of sadness that passed across the dark elf - Drizzt's - face at her first statement, and the wistful look as the woman - Catti-brie - glanced at Drizzt as she said it.  _Interesting_, thought Rogue.  _Crossed signals?  Even I can see that they love each other._

            "Who…" she was trying to think of a tactful way to put this, her curiosity driving her to ask.  "Who's the leader here?"  Nire seemed to be it, but that couldn't be.  There were so many older people than her.

            "Nire," Danilo said.  Everybody enjoyed a quick laugh at the slightly shocked expression on Rogue's face.  "And may the gods help any of us who try to take that position away from her.  She's the one who met us all and brought us together - even the ones like Arilyn and I who don't live here - and she can fight better than all of us.  Hurls spells better, too.  She's mother to all these children you see running around - waifs whom she's taken off the streets, or rescued from abusive families.  And she's a damn good friend to the rest of us, and damn good family, too!"

            A resounding cheer went up at this, while Nire fairly glowed with the praise.  Rogue was faintly jealous - she had such a large group of family/friends who obviously loved her dearly, something Rogue herself would never have.

            "What do you do here?" was her next question.

            "Oh, everything and nothing," Nire answered.  "Basically, we fight all evil we find and have fun.  The best part being, those that live here, at least, _never_ work.  Ever.  All we do is play."

            "Then how do you get money?"

            "Steal from the rich, give to the poor, a la Robin Hood.  Of course, we always keep our own coffers full.  But, basically, any immoral way we can."

            "Of course, not all of us agree with these methods," Drizzt said sternly.

            "Ah, but you never can catch us, and we always stick to those who have enough to spare.  Of course, to mollify those like Drizzt, and we do have a few of 'em, most of us have some sort of skill that we enjoy doing and can sell.  Me?  I tend to protect trading wagons, or provide flute music for large social events at prestigious houses."

            An unidentifiable person interrupted her.  "She is so high in demand it is ridiculous."  He shook his head, admiration and envy in his voice.

            "Thanks, man."  Nire smiled at the guy.  "Many here carve would or scrimshaw, selling it to merchants in Ten Towns.  But, it's all fun and games for us."

            Rogue pondered over her next question for a moment, trying to decide if she cold ask Nire, for she was not sure how the girl would react.  In the end, she decided that this Nire was changed enough from the one at that mansion to ask.  But before she did, another question occurred to her.

            "Where's the m-elf who came and picked you up at the mansion?  You two seemed almost joined at the hip."

            Someone snorted loudly and shouted, "That's how they are all of the time!"

            Nire glared jokingly around that circle of people.  "He's out hunting for dinner.  Or breakfast, depending on when he gets back."

            Now, Rogue asked the other question, the one that delved into Nire's past life.  "You obviously live here, and yet, you seem extremely familiar with my world."  The most noticeable difference - besides the types of people and their clothes - was that everybody fairly bristled with weaponry.

            "That's because I was from Earth, originally.  Do you want the Campbell's Condensed Soup version of the story?"

            "Sure."

            "Okay.  I had a mum, a dad, an older bro by 14 years, and a sis younger by 16 months.  Basically, my family life sucked majorly.  My mum was okay most of the time, but my dad was a bastard, my sis was a racist bitch.  My bro was okay because I didn't see much of him - he moved to sunny ol' Californ-yi-ay.  My social life bit cuz didn't like people, and the feeling was generally mutual - I was this fat ugly kid.  So, I retreated into a world of books.  By the time I was eight, I was a psychological mess - suicidal, paranoid, trust issues, antisocial, the work.  That year, a mage from Krynn, _another_ world, accidentally created a gate into the woods behind my house where I hid out a lot.  Raistlin became a friend, and taught me magic.  His twin, Caramon and Caramon's friends taught me to fight.  According to them, I was a prodigy at both things.  My parents knew nothing of this, just thought I spent a lot of time alone in my room and in the woods.  When I was nine, my love accidentally stumbled through a gate Raist had created into this world, Faerûn.  I saved his ass, and we became best friends.  He made me be nice to people, which became a habit.  Now that I knew that the places in the books I read were real, I met all the people from them.  I convinced some of them to come move up here, to form an adventuring band.  My parents eventually found out, freaked out, but there was little they could do.  My mum eventually came to accept it.  The day I turned fifteen, I couldn't take it any more.  I told them that, left, and moved here.  Khelben and Laeral had adopted me a while back.  Everybody you see here and more, from other worlds, were already my true family.  Now, I'm living happily ever after.  At least for now."

            To Rogue, it sounded like a fairytale.  She found that she believed every word the girl had said.  She wished her life would turn out that way, ending like a happy fairy tale.  Unfortunately, she knew that in real life, that hardly ever happened.  Nire was just one of the few lucky ones.

            "But, wait, you and that elf aren't just best friends now."  She still did not know the elf's name.

            "Hell, no!  After years of pretending that we didn't love each other, and feeling that we weren't worthy of each other, and the other couldn't possibly love us back, we both accidentally found out that we were being a couple of idiots.  And the rest is history."

            "They were being completely blind assholes," Arilyn said.  "Anybody with eyes could have seen they loved each other and were the perfect match."

            "The way anyone could see we were a perfect match but you?" Dan gently teased her, receiving a clout on the head.

            Rogue continued asking questions and getting answers.  Eventually, all the children had come over, too, and were spread out among the adults, either on the ground, or on someone's lap.  When Rogue started to shiver, even with her coat on, Nire tossed her her own forest green cloak and went and grabbed a light blue one from a tent.

            Rogue ran out of questions at about the same time she - and everyone else - noticed the golden-haired elf trekking back across the wind-swept tundra.  He was carrying - carrying! - what looked to be a…a reindeer towards the camp.  He dropped it outside the camp as the older children ran to get knives to skin it.  Nire ran and gave him a hug and a kiss, then brought him back to the group.

            "That, plus what we already have, should be enough for everyone," he was saying.  "Hello Rogue.  How are you?"

            "Ah'm fine, thank you."

            "That's good.  Here for a visit?  Seeing what the life of Nire I really like?"

            "Yes, Ah am."  Rogue couldn't bring herself to look like a fool and inquire his name.  For now, until someone inadvertently mentioned his name, she would just think of him as Elf.  And be careful never to call him anything, even though this galled her Mississippian manners.

            The reindeer venison was excellent, although Rogue couldn't quite shake the feeling that (even though she didn't believe in Santa Clause) this might be one of Santa's reindeer.  It could be Comet, or Donder, or Vixen.  She didn't think it could be Rudolph, because from what she had seen, its nose wasn't red.  Of course, she hadn't really watched, the whole thing making her queasy.

            After dinner was apparently entertainment/social time.  The fires provided enough light to see by.  First, Danilo did some humorous ballads, the two most memorably being one about a paladin and one about a knight who wished for a better lance.  Next was Frajen, who sung what were apparently classics.  He played his lap harp most beautifully.  AS the children fell asleep, they were carried off to bed.

            Next came Nire.  She sang, surprisingly, 'Hero' by Enrique Iglesias.  She played a piano that just sort of materialized out of thin air, and Danilo accompanied her on a guitar.  Then Jander went up with her, and they sang a harmonized version of 'Iris' by The Goo Goo Dolls.  Then, they went into some lovely ballads in a tongue foreign to Rogue, but that was beautiful all the same.

            This continued on for some time.  As people got tired, they went off to bed.  Drizzt and Catti-brie left early, before dark, going back to the dwarven mines.  The rest went to their tents.  When Rogue started yawning, Nire showed her to a 'guest tent'.

            "There are plenty of blankets in there.  It should be warm, anyways.  I think its one of the ones with a heat spell on it.  If not, you'll still be warm.  If you need anything, talk to whoever's on watch.  Listen closely to me.  Don't go _anywhere_ here alone.  Make sure someone who lives here is with you.  Out here, you need to be constantly on guard, or else you'll get yourself killed."

            Rogue nodded tiredly, said good night, and went into her tent.  Nire was right - it was comfortably warm.  Rogue had no clue how they did it, but magic was explanation enough for her.

*  *  *  *  *

            Rogue woke up the next morning to the sound of clashing metal.  She stuck her head out of the tent, and was relieved to see it was only a couple of sparring kids - practice, it seemed.  She quickly got dressed and brushed out her hair.  AS she stepped out of her tent, she glanced around for Nire.  The girl appeared freakily fast at her side.

            "Want breakfast?  We got venison bacon - don't ask how they managed to do that - and eggs.  Pretty damn good for something Frajen cooked."

            "I heard that!" came a yell from across camp.

            "And ya know it's true!" Nire shouted back.

            "Uh…sure.  I guess," Rogue responded.

            It was good, if a bit odd.  Who's ever heard of venison-bacon, after all?  Then Nire sat her down on a log next to an open area in which all of the fighting was going on.  Apparently, Nire trained the kids during the mornings.  IT was interesting, watching the strikes and parries, Nire correcting hteir grip and stances.  Even the two-year-old Amariyah was doing some stuff.  Eventually, the group changed and Elf took over, training the adults/teenagers.

            "You wanna learn some?" Nire offered Rogue.  "We got extra swords and shit.  Long bows, crossbows, scimitars, all that happy crap."

            "Umm…Think I could learn to shoot a bow?"

            "Sure, why not.  C'mon."

            Nire grabbed two bows and a quiver of arrows.  "Hey guys!  Keep an' eye on the borders!  Don't shoot us when we're comin' back!"

            Rogue followed Nire to a ways away from the outskirts of the camp.  Nire set up a target, then took them even farther away.  Rogue spent an hour learning to hold to hold the bow and arrow, how to release the arrow correctly and how to aim.  Then she spent another hour trying to put t he three together and failing miserably.

            Then Nire said it was time for lunch.  Rogue was glad because her arms and shoulders killed.  More venison for lunch.  Rogue felt totally refreshed and almost ready to go back home.  Seeing this large group of odd people living together as one big family gave her…hope, oddly enough.  It gave her the hope that maybe her life could get better.  Not that it wasn't already good… but still… it could be better.

            Danilo and Arilyn came up to  Nire and Rogue.  "We're going home, now.  'Twas a wonderful visit."

            Nire stood up and gave them each a hug.  "Tell Khel I said hello.  Maybe I'll take a road trip to Waterdeep in a couple weeks.  Haven't been able to wreak havoc there in a while.":

            The elf (or did Nire say she was a half elf?), grinned devilishly.  "I'll make sure to warn old Blackstaff to get his cleanup crew ready."  Then she turned to Rogue.  "It was a pleasure meeting you.  Hope to see you again sometime."

            She got handshakes from both, a rare thing once people knew her power.  Arilyn blanched a little - barely noticeable on her naturally pale face - as Danilo twisted a ring on his finger.  Then the two faded away.

            "Rare thing, seeing Arilyn here," Nire commented.  "She _hates_ magical travel."

            Elf came and sat with Rogue and Nire, pulling Nire tight against his side.  Rogue wished that Logan would do that to her, look at her with eyes so filled with love.

            "You're buttering me up for something, aren't you, love?"  Nire smiled up into his bronze face.

            "No, of course not.  You've just been very busy lately, and I'm getting in some cuddling time before you disappear again."

            "Okay.  Just making sure."  Nire snuggled into his side, looking for all the world like a happy kitten.

            At that moment, a group of children swarmed over.  "Another story!  More stories!" they clamored.

            _The fight between Logan and Sabertooth in Canada, or something like that.  Or fairytales are always a big hit. _

            Rogue elected to tell them 'Snow White', knowing that one best.  They listened with rapt attention, a little boy she didn't know the name of crawling into her lap.  She enjoyed the little body sitting so trustfully in her lap.  But it also made her heartsick for the children she would never have, the babies she would never hold.

*  *  *  *  *

            Rogue stayed for one more night.  Then she asked Nire to take her home.  She did not want to stay away for long, on the off chance that Logan would come back when she was away.  She wanted to be the first one to see him when he came back, to find out whether it had been a success of not.

            Unfortunately, he wasn't back.  The Professor did request that she tell an actually body before leaving for an extended period of time, not just leave a note.  Rogue readily agreed, then went down for some lunch.  After that, she went back up to her room.  Scott had given her a copy of Wuthering Heights, telling he she would enjoy it.  So far, he was right, and she wanted to get back to it.

            She had just picked it up, and was curling up on her bed, when someone knocked on the door.

            "Just a sec," she said, putting down her book and getting up.  She wondered who it was, because Logan was gone, and the rest of her friends were with their families.  Upon opening the door, she saw one of the four who had run from her the other day standing there.  He was kind of cute - most definitely Russian.  "What?" she said harshly.  She wished Logan were here to beat the shit out of the kid - those four had been the first to show such blatant fear in three years.

            "I wish to apologize for my behavior two days past.  That was-"

            "Yeah, whatever."  Rogue cut him off and slammed the door in his face.  She was still pissed - or was that the Logan in her head that was still pissed…

            She felt sort of bad for doing that, so she opened the door again.  The Russian kid was just starting to leave, but stopped and turned around again.

            "That was inexcusable behavior and I am extremely sorry," he finished off.  "I hope you can forgive my gross blunder."

            Rogue regarded him for a moment, trying to decide whether or not someone had told him he had to apologize.  If Logan had been there, she would not have doubted it.  But, he wasn't, and the kid certainly looked apologetic.  SO, she flashed him a bright smile.

            "No problem."

            He seemed to relax and stuck out his hand, surprisingly enough.  "My name is Peter."

            "Rogue."  She shook his hand, letting go quickly.  Nervous habits die hard.

            "I am pleased to make your acquaintance."

            Rogue tried not to laugh at his almost stuffy manners.  "Likewise"

            They stood in uncomfortable silence, until Peter peered past her and said, "You have a very nice room."

            "Thanks."  She stepped aside to let him come in if he wanted, which he did.  They chatted amiably for a few minutes, then he left.  Rogue was still pissed, but somewhat mollified by his apologetic behavior.

            Dinner was interesting.  One of the new kids - a Cajun with red eyes - was doing card tricks.  Apparently he didn't go anywhere without them, because Rogue had seen him shuffling them around at lunch, too.  Then, her attention was drawn to what used to be her and Logan's table - hell, still was during the school year, when Kitty and Jubes were sitting with other people.  Now, Peter was sitting there, all alone.

            _Why isn't he sitting with his friends, the people he came in with?_ she wondered.  SO, she excused herself from the teachers' table and went over there, twisting a chair around and crossing her arms over the back.  He quickly flipped closed a spiral bound book he had been writing in - a sketchbook, she saw.

            "Hey.  How come ya aren't sittin' with your friends?"  She felt bad for anyone sitting alone, knowing how it felt.

            "They are not my friends, just my…" He could not seem to find the word.

            "Acquaintances?  Traveling companions?"

            "Traveling companions.  Thank you."  HE had the cutest Russian accent.  "If you do not mind my asking, why do you sit with the teachers?"

            Rogue wasn't quite sure how to answer that.  She sat with the teachers because she did.  "Because it's summer, because all mah friends are at their parents' or their friends' parents'.  AN' the teachers are mah friends, too."  Pause.  "What's that?"  She pointed to his pad.

            He self-consciously covered the closed pad with his arm.  "Is just some sketches."

            "May I see?"

            Peter pulled back the pad a little, like he expected her to grab it.  "I…do not really like people looking at my sketches."

            "Rogue smiled.  " 'Kay."  Before she could say anymore, the card-shuffler came over.

            "Gambit wants to apologize for his behavior the other day."

            Rogue glanced questioningly at Peter.  Who the hell was Gambit, and why didn't he apologize for himself?

            "His name is Gambit.  He talks about himself in third person."

            Okay.  This was just plain weird.  Both the Cajuns and all the apologies.  _Nobody_ ever apologized for acting like asses, nor did she expect it.  She just expected them to stay out of her way from then on.

            "Gambit was very rude and hopes you can forgive him."  That French accent was beginning to piss her off.  She couldn't decide if it was fake or not.

            "Fat chance."

            Unfortunately for her, he did not take the hint and leave.  He continued talking - what she was sure were faked apologies - and pissing her off.  No matter how many hints she dropped - nor how blatant - he would not leave.  Peter was no help, reluctant to get involved, perhaps not even sure if she wished the Cajun to leave.  In a lucky turn, she sensed Logan come in.

            _Yes!  He's home!_ was her first thought.  Then, _He'll be able to get this bastard to leave._

            Logan saw her immediately - he white streak standing out among the rainbow of other colors.  She was sitting with two guys - a Russian and a Cajun.  The Cajun was talking earnestly to her, and she looked pissed.  When he got closer, she threw him a pleading look.  This was something he could take care of, and have some fun, too.

            "Beat it, punk," he growled, interrupting the Cajun's fake-French accent.

            "Gambit has a right to be here."

            "Yeah?  Well if _Gambit_ does not get his skinny ass away from my table, I will purée him with my claws.  Scram Frenchie."

            The Cajun paled and left.  Peter, too, started to get up, but Rogue smiled at him and told him he could stay if he wished.  So, he sat down again, having no wish to offend her, even though the large man who had just threatened Gambit scared him a little.

            "Thank Logan," Rogue said in her soft southern drawl once Gambit had sat down.

            "No problem, kid.  How long has he been bothering you?"  There was a dangerous glint in Logan's eye that made Rogue's heart sing.

            "Not long, an' not anymore.  Ya scared him off.  Peter, this is Logan.  Logan, Peter."

            Logan grunted what might have been a greeting.  _If_ you stretched your imagination.  Peter, of course, had a very polite, "Pleased to meet you."

            "Did ya find anything?" Rogue asked, her curiosity getting the best of her.  She noticed out of the corner of her eye that Peter had opened his sketchpad again, and was drawing with his pencil.

            "Nope.  Not a thing, kid."  This lead had come just in time, giving him a legit excuse to leave for a while.  HE needed some time away from Marie, to curb the Wolverine's growing urges to throw her on a bed (or up against a wall, or anything) and ravish her, willing or not.  Well, no, only if she was willing, because she was Marie, and he loved her.  No he didn't!  The lead had petered out to nothing almost on day two.  The rest of the time had been spent roaming, and cooling off.

            "Ah'm sorry."  There was that look that made his heart flutter!  Damn her!  
            Marie was slowly trying to inch her way over to see what Peter was drawing.  But, before she could get close enough, he closed it, put the pencil in the spirals, and stood up.

            "It was nice meeting you, Logan, and nice talking to you, Rogue."  Then he left the dining room.

            "Damn it," Rogue swore softly.

            "What?" Logan asked.

            "Ah was hopin' to get a look at what he was drawin'.  No, don't look at me like that.  Ah did ask, an' he said he didn't like people seeing what he drew."

            Logan rolled his eyes.  "Okay, kid.  So, how you been?"

            "Ah've been good.  Kitty an' Jubes are comin' back in a week.  Bobby an' St. John in two."\     

            "Wonderful.  The Bee is coming back."

            "Yep.  She hasn't gotten herself killed yet.  Scott can finally walk without the cane, so ya need to find somethin' new to torment him about."

            Logan grinned devilishly.  "Be assured I shall."

            " 'Hamlet' is coming on HBO in twenty minutes.  Want to watch it with me?" Marie had missed the contact when he was gone, even though it was only for a couple weeks.

            "Sure, kid.  That's not going to get over until about midnight, though."

            "It can't be _that_ long."

            Logan smiled slightly as he followed her out of the dining room.  Maybe she would fall asleep and he'd have to carry her up to her room…or maybe she'd fall asleep curled up next to him…he couldn't believe he was thinking like that.

            AS usual, they took over one of the small TV rooms, where it would be just them.  Logan did not want to have to do the fast-talking he would have to do if someone found him watching 'Hamlet'.  Marie curled up on the opposite end of the couch, but Logan knew she would eventually migrate to his side, if the movie were long enough.  And this one certainly was.

            "This reminds me a bit of some other movie," she said about an hour through.  "Ah just can't figure out which one."  She expected him to call her crazy, and was surprised when he actually had an answer.

            "Disney's 'The Lion King'?  Most of the plot was taken from 'Hamlet'."

            Marie thought for a minute, then smiled.  "Yeah, you're right.  How do ya know all this stuff?"

            Logan grinned.  "I don't remember."

            An hour through the movie, Marie was three-quarters of the way across the couch to him.

            "Have you read this?" she asked.

            Quick check for the scent of anyone outside within listening distance.  "Uh-huh."

            "Is this anything like it?"

            "Yeah.  Pretty much."

            "Which do ya like better?"

            "Books are always better."  Beat.  "They're both equally good."

            This elicited a giggle from Marie, exactly what he wanted.  By eleven fifteen, she was a hairs-breadth away from him, where she always stayed until he either moved over a bit or pulled her closer.  Since she was already yawning, he voted to pull her closer to him, since that gave him an excuse to leave his arm there.  She leaned sleepily into his side, unconsciously wiggling around to get more comfortable.  It felt good to have her cuddling into his side.  When the movie ended - the funeral of the poor, insane Danish prince - Rogue was asleep, and Logan was pretty damn close.  He switched the channel to ESPN, telling himself he would bring Marie up to bed in a couple minutes.

            Of course, when he woke up the next morning, that hadn't happened.  The TV was still on and he felt a little stiff from sleeping sitting up.  Marie's head was pillowed in his lap.  Before he could try to get up without waking her, Marie stretched and opened her eyes.  Then, once she realized where she was sleeping, she shot up into a sitting position.

            "Jeez, sorry Logan.  Ah guess Ah did fall asleep."

            " 'S okay darlin'.  I did too."  Damn, but that was nice!  He should get her to watch movies late at night more often.

            She relaxed against his side for a moment, watching the morning news with them.  Then she stood up and stretched.

            "See ya alter, sugah.  Ah need a shower."

            Logan didn't think she realized she had called him that - wait.  She did.  She was blushing faintly and smelled embarrassed.  But he didn't mind - he liked it.  There were interesting possibilities if she had a nickname for him…Damn it!  He went up to take his own shower.  Sick, wrong, dirty old man thoughts.

*  *  *  *  *

            "Logan?"

            Oh, fuck.  What was she doing in his room in the middle of the night?  "Yeah, kid?"  He sat up and flicked on a light.  She smelled like a scared Marie.  Not of him, and not of being in his room.  Nightmares, he bet.  Probably his.

            She stood there, cupping her elbows in her hands, shivering a little.  "Ah…Ah had a nightmare."

            He slid over and patted the bed.  "C'mon, kid."

            She gratefully climbed in next to him, sliding just under the top sheet.

            "Get under both, kid."  Logan got out and got under the top one, leaving her no choice.

            So, she curled up by his side, falling asleep almost immediately.  She had him in her head, knew the kind of person he was, knew what he had done, yet still trusted him enough to come to him for comfort after a nightmare.  That just floored Logan.

            This became their thing.  Whenever Marie had a nightmare, she came and talked to Logan for a couple minutes.  If it were especially bad, she would sometimes stay there.  Logan felt so bad for her - his nightmares scared _him_ shitless, made him want to crawl into bed with someone.  He could not _imagine_ what it must be like for her.  She still worried a little about hurting him, but she trusted Logan and was careful - long pajamas and a sheet separating them when she stayed.  At first, Logan worried about him having a nightmare and hurting her, but he found that, at least on the nights when she was there, he didn't have any.  Instead, he dreamed about her…


	12. Christmas Comes But Once a Year

**Chapter Twelve - Christmas Comes but Once a Year**

            Peter became one of Marie's friends, but not really part of her group.  Remy, on the other hand, became part of her group, but _never_ her friend.  After the first couple of threats from Logan, he learned to be civil to her, but not to try to take it beyond that.  Him and Jubilee had an on-again, off-again relationship.  Their fights cost the Professor hundreds of dollars in repair from Jubilee's plasma balls, and Remy's cards.

            School had started again.  Marie helped Logan teach self-defense.  That was the only class that the graduated seniors still took.  So after Logan had terrorized the group - his theory was that he had to be scarier than anyone else they would meet - Marie showed them what they did wrong and what they should have done.  Or, their roles were switched - Marie terrorized and Logan corrected.  Even though the two were a completely evil teaching team, and Marie was teaching her friends, it was a fun class.

            Rogue was going to college online, so she could still live at the mansion.  Kitty, Bobby, St. John, and Jubilee were taking a year off from school, before starting college, even though everyone told them that was not a good idea.  Marie was pretty sure Peter was doing the same thing, if he planned on going to college at all.  And as for Remy, she didn't give a shit.

            Peter and Remy were added to the self-defense course, of course.  If Logan went a little harder on Remy, didn't pull quite so many punches, nobody noticed or complained.

            Marie sat in the library, reading A Tale of Two Cities.  She stayed in the library a lot during the school year because no one bugged her.  She wasn't in school anymore, but she still spent most of her time in the mansion - that was where she felt safest.  Well, no, she had to amend that statement.  She felt safest wherever Logan was.  But the mansion was the next best place.

            The book just couldn't hold her attention today.  Her eyes wandered around the library - or the part that she could see - and settled on Peter.  He was sitting at a table, sketching away in his ever-present sketchbook.  Maybe today she could get him to show her what he was drawing.  She had still never seen a thing that he drew.

            "Hey Peter."  She sat down across from him.

            "Hello Rogue.'  She noticed that this time, he didn't flip the book closed.  Progress!

            "Can Ah see?"

            He hesitated, then slid that pad across to her.  "It is not very good."

            "Bull _shit_!"  The one he was working on was of Remy, shuffling his cards and looking especially devious.  The Cajun's past job was as a thief, and this suggested just that.  "This is one of the best sketches Ah have ever seen!  Can Ah look through the rest?"

            Peter nodded.  Rogue flipped through slowly.  There was Kitty and Bobby, standing on the porch, Ororo in her garden, and Logan on his bike.  She was almost to the beginning.  Peter was one hell of a good artist.

            "Don't-" Peter began, half-jumping across the table to get his pad back before she could get to the second to last - well, since she was going backwards, second to first - page.  He had just remembered what was on that one.  Unfortunately, he was to slow and she leaned back too far, flipping the page and laughing.

            Then she stopped, the front legs of her chair slamming back onto the ground.  Peter had a guilty look on his face.  It was a drawing of her and Logan.  A very _good_ drawing of her and Logan, curled up in her bed, just about to kiss.  From what she could see, they were both naked.  IT was all her fondest fantasies put on paper.

            "I am sorry.  I should not have drawn that…"   

            "Wow," Marie breathed when she could talk again.  "No, Ah don't mind.  This is…wow."

            "I see it in your eyes when you are looking at Logan and think no one else is looking."  Peter would have added, 'and in his', but figured it was none of his business.  It would be much sweeter for Rogue if she found out on her own.

            "That obvious, huh?"  Everyone knew that she had a crush on Logan, but most thought she had gotten over it.  In fact, everyone but her friends thought that she had gotten over it, as far as she knew.  At least, they stopped having little 'talks' with her about it, and smiling like it was 'cute'.  The last - first - page was another sketch of 'Ro.  The two of her were the most detailed, the most realistic.  Well, she could red into this; someone else was in love with someone 'too old' for them.

            "These are awesome, Peter."  She pushed the pad back across the table to him.  "Ya should show Ororo some of these.  'Specially the ones of her."  Marie grinned devilishly at Peter's blush.

            "No, she enjoys her privacy.  She would not appreciate me intruding on that.'

            "Thanks for letting me look at him."  Marie smiled, slightly sadly.  "Ya comin' ta lunch?"

            They walked out of the library together, never knowing that their conversation had been overheard.

*  *  *  *  *  
  


            Logan sat back in his chair.  He had found a dark, dusty corner in the library where no one eer went, and claimed it as his.  Of course, nobody, not even Marie knew this, knew that he came into the library at all.  Since people didn't know he was there, he could listen to all the interesting gossip - not that he would ever admit that it was interesting.

            When he had heard Marie come in, he almost went over to join her.  Something stopped him, though.  Then Peter came in and started drawing in that pad of his.  Marie went to join him, and somehow managed to get it away from him.  The sound of flipping pages and random exclamations told him that she was looking through it.  The sudden smell of panic from Peter and Marie's laugh made him wonder what she was doing to it - it was not like her to be cruel.  When her laughter abruptly stopped, he wondered what the little prick had done to her and was about to go find out, until he realized that she didn't smell like fear, just amazement and…longing?  Damn, he was fucking _curious_.  For once, he was glad he was a mutant, and wished he had x-ray vision, too.

            Then, listening to the ensuing conversation, he realized that it must have been a sketch of him and Marie.  Apparently, she was still a 'little taken' with him - he still could not believe he had said that to Jean - and it definitely _wasn't_ a little, by the tone of her voice and her scent.  He debated going out there to see what exactly the Russian had drawn, but was saved from making that mistake because they left for lunch.

            This provided a perplexing dilemma for him.  He had three choices of how to handle this - okay, this was weird, he was actually going to think this through instead of acting on impulse.  Of course, that was how he always did thinks with Marie.  Back to his options.  He could act on his instincts and do what Wolverine really wanted to do - with a few modifications of course - since she obviously had feelings for him more than just a simple crush.  He supposed that the scent of arousal that hung around her half the time she was around him should have been a clue, but he figured it had just been teen list.  Every freaking teenage girl in the place smelled of lust around him.  The problem with that course of action was who he was.  The second choice was to leave.  He had promised to take care of Marie, and that included protecting her from him.  There was no way in hell he was good for here - she already had his memories, she didn't need him like that in real life.  He would just end up hurting her somehow.  But he didn't know if he could do that.  The look on her face whenever he came home from a trip…it made his heart sing.  She was the first person to be glad he was alive, the first to care about him and be his friend in so long that he didn't know if he could give it up.  And he was _still_ the only one in this goddamned place to touch her on a constant basis.  If he were gone, whom would she go to when she had his nightmares?  She still came into his room at least once very other week with either one of his or one of Magneto's nightmares.

            The last choice he had was to pretend he hadn't heard anything.  That would let Marie get over her feelings without any pain on her part.  He could, well, not get over it, but - at least bury it.  S would she, if she couldn't get over it.  This seemed like the best course of action - or non-action - that he could come up with.  He would continue acting as he had, and she would continue acting as she had.  That worked out just fine.

            These deliberations - as sad as it was - had taken him over an hour.  The library was empty, so he could leave.  Grabbing the Civil War book he had been reading, he snuck out, making sure nobody saw him.

*  *  *  *  *

**A Couple Months Later:**

            "Wake up!  Wake up!"

            Logan grunted.  Why the hell was Marie in his room at - quick glance at his alarm clock - seven in the morning?  She sounded excited, smelled excited, what was up?  What was he forgetting?

            "Come _on_ Logan!  It's _Christmas_!"  She stripped off the blankets, knowing he slept in boxers.  "Get _up_!"

            He growled at her, knowing it would have no effect.  "It's seven fucking am, kid.  _Give_ me back my blankets, and _let_ me go back to sleep.  And _stop italicizing every other word_."

            "Get _up_.  What will it _take_ to get you _out_ of _bed_?"

            "Another couple hours of sleep," he grumbled.  "Aren't you a little old to be this excited over Christmas?  _Go away_!"

            "No.  Wake up.  C'mon.  This is the first time Ah've got someone Ah consider real _family_ here.  Let's go.  Up.  Now."

            Damn her for pulling that on him!  "It's seven fucking a fucking m."

            "Yeah.  Ah know.  Ya got half and hour.  Almost everyone else is already down there."  She knew that when he started adding extra swears, he was just asserting his manliness before agreeing.

            "Why so goddamned early?"

            "Be_cause_ it's _Christmas_."  Marie grabbed his arm with the intent of pulling him out of bed.  Yeah, like _that_ was going to happen.  Acting on impulse, Logan twisted his arm enough to grab hers and tugged her into his bed.  She shrieked a little and fell in, ending up lying beside him, after he had rolled onto his back.

            "You _sure_ we're supposed to be down there this early?"  Logan felt Marie slowly start to relax next to him.  She was always, without fail, nervous for the first couple seconds she lay next to him.

            "_Yes_, goddamn it!  That's what it's been like for every single Christmas ya weren't here.  Everyone goes down in the pajamas around seven, seven-thirty, and they start opening their gifts five minutes later.  Now _come on_."

            She glanced over at him and jumped up.  Logan sighed and got up, too.

            "There's no way in hell I am going down there in my pajamas," he said dryly, glancing down at his boxers.

            Marie giggled.  "That's good.  Scott would have a cow if you did.  Now get dressed."

            "Can I get some privacy?  Maybe take a shower?"  He was joking - about the first part at least - and she knew it.

            "Since when have ya cared about privacy like that?  Ah'll be back at seven-thirty on the dot, and I'm draggin' ya down there, dressed or not."

            " 'Kay kid."

            Marie traipsed out, whistling a Christmas carol.  This whole season drove Logan nuts, well, it used to.  Back before he had anyone to care about.  Of course, the constant singing, the perpetual perkiness of everyone, the whole holiday cheer thing still pissed him off.  Somehow, though, it was a bit more tolerable, knowing there were people he actually wanted to get stuff from.

            Marie was back just when she said she would be, still in her flannel frog pajamas.  Logan was in his usual jeans, plaid flannel over shirt, and leather gloves.  Downstairs was filled with pajama-clad teenagers and adults.  Except for the Professor, of course, who was in one of his infinite Armani suits.  Logan wondered for a moment if he slept in them.  That was one hell of a funny picture.  He sat in a chair in the corner, and was immediately surrounded by Marie and her friends.

            "Hey Wolvie.  Roguey finally dragged you down here?"

            He growled at Jubilee, which just made her laugh.  He had come down late at night and dumped everything he bought under the tree - and it _was_ a huge tree, scraping the top of the ceiling.  The way holidays were celebrated at the mansion was that they did everything.  All the Jewish holidays were celebrated, all the Christian ones, everything.  Of course, if you were Christian, you didn't get fays out of school for Jewish holidays, and vice versa.  As for the winter gift-giving holidays, you gave gifts on your holiday, and everybody got a little something on Christmas.  All in all, it was a good arrangement.

            Each person had their own pile of gifts - it cur down on the chaos of Christmas morning.  Logan watched from his chair as Rogue and her friends grabbed their presents and brought them back to where he was sitting.  Then they all sat and looked expectantly at him.

            "What?" he asked gruffly.

            "What about all your stuff, Wolvie?" Jubilee asked innocently.  Rogue silently pointed back towards the tree, a slight smile on her face.

            Logan sighed and shook his head.  He grumbled to himself, not seriously.  He was surprised to see that he actually had a pretty good-sized pile.

            "Happy?" he asked as he dumped them beside his chair.

            Rogue happily nodded.  Logan watched as the young adults surrounding him tore off the paper with the zeal of young children.  Except for his Marie.  She relished each and every gift.  She had a substantial pile of them.  Logan began to have second thoughts about whether or not he had gotten her something good enough.  Caring this much about what she thought about a stupid Christmas present was ridiculous.  She had him completely wrapped around her little finger; he was pathetic.

            Rogue watched Logan out of the corner of her eye.  She had become adept at figuring out his emotions from the very few changes of his facial expressions.  She would guess that she had a ninety percent success rate.  Pretty damn good where Logan was concerned.  Now, he was looking nervous, with her having only his gift left to open.  The way she had her friends did things, it went around in a circle, open one; open one; open one.  Logan told them to pass over him.  Jubilee and everyone were just happy enough to do as he said.  Now, Marie eyed him and his pile of gifts.

            "Ah don't think it's really fair to let you open everything all at once."  SH eyed her fiends for support.  "Ah think you should open everything but one right now, make it even."

            Logan surveyed the half-circle and knew he was beat.  "Whatever you say, kid."  He checked the tags and pulled one from Kitty and Bobby.  Inside the box was a pair of leather gloves.  A note said, _Super soft, super thin.  Merry Christmas.  Kitty and Bobby._

            Next was a pair of good boots.  '_These ought to fit and should match all your motorcycle gear.  Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!  Jubilee, St. John, Gambit, and Peter._'

            Scott and Jean had bought him a couple T-shirts.  Ororo bought him a box of expensive cigars.  That made Logan quirk his lips in a half smile.  Even though she always yelled at him for smoking, she still bought him cigars.  That said something.

            Now all that was left was the Professor and Marie.  The Professor had attached a note to his.  '_Do not open this unless you are alone._'  Judging by the size and heft of the package, he would guess books.  The last was from Marie, and that he could tell was a book.

            "Okay, your turn," he said to Marie.

            She raised an eyebrow, and he tossed the two packages left into her lap.  She nodded her understanding and handed them back to him.  He held up the one from her slightly, barely noticeable, and put on his 'question face'.  She shrugged almost imperceptibly and nodded a bit.  Logan knew that it was a book and was asking if he could open it in front of everyone.  This little wordless exchange, something usually only very very good friends or lovers could do, was not lost on Jubilee and Kitty.

            This last gift from Logan was a nondescript box.  He had scrawled on the gift tag, '_It's in a box so you can't guess what it is._'  When she looked up to meet his eyes after reading that, he had a smug look on his face.  Christmas was not a time to save wrapping paper - that was what you did on your birthday - she tore it open.  The top flaps of the box were interlocked to keep it closed, and she eased that open.  The first thing she pulled out was a Sony Walkman for CDs.  This one was one that played MP3s, too.  The only thing left in the box was two CDs, sort of anticlimactic.

            "I've never heard of these guys before," she said as she pulled out two RUSH CDs.

            "Yeah, they're from the late 70s.  Listen to 'A Farewell to Kings' first.  They sounded like something you'd like."  This was the only gift he'd actually put time into.  Everything else had been easy - a gag gift from Spencer Gifts.  After all, it wasn't as if he actually _liked_ any of the other people in the building.  Compared to the other things she had received - a couple of outfits, gift certificates, things like that - he hadn't really gotten her anything good.  A Discman and a couple of CDs was nothing - okay, an _expensive_ Discman and a couple of CDs.

            People were slowly wandering out for breakfast now.  "Is there any special rule that says I have to open everything right now?" he asked, looking at Marie.

            Her friends all said yes, but she shook her head.  "Nope, not really."

            He nodded sagely.  "Then I'll save these for later."

            Nobody gave a shit - it was breakfast time.  Once you put your stuff in your room, you could go down to the caf.  The general consensus was that Christmas meal were _the_ best meals of the year.  All the holidays were mish mashed, and the caf was treated like a restaurant.  The students who stayed over winter break could have whatever they wanted to eat all day.

            In the hall, Logan caught up with Rogue.  "If you don't like the music, I still got the receipts so you can return them and get different CDs.  But I think you'll at least like the lyrics."

            Rogue smiled at him.  "You have a knack for picking out thing I'll like.  And now I can actually listen to the CDs I burn."  She was touched that he was worried over whether or not she liked what he had given her.  She was more worried about whether or not he already owned what she had bought him.

            "You wanna see what's in these before breakfast?" he asked her when they got to his door.  "Or, at least, what's in the Professor's?"

            Marie shrugged.  "If you're going to open them anyway…"

            "Go put your stuff in your room.  I'll wait."

            Marie went the bit farther down the hall to where her room was and put everything on her bed.  She had half-hoped that Nire would show up.  If she did, Rogue had bought a charm bracelet for the girl.  Of course, it was still early…

            Back in Logan's room, she sat down in his desk chair.  He was on his bed, patiently waiting for her to come back.

            "Which to open first…" he pondered.  "Hm.  I guess I'll save what's most likely to be best for last."

            Marie grinned as he put the wrapped package from her off to the side and began to unwrap the one from the Professor.  Inside was The Complete Unabridged Works of Shakespeare, and a note that said, '_Hopefully, you don't have this one yet.  Merry Christmas._'

            Marie grinned at him.  "You can't keep secrets from telepaths.  The question is, is that a good thing or a bad thing?"

            "Probably a bad thing," was the muttered response.  He got to his knees and dragged out his box.  He was going to need a new one soon.  Luckily, not only did he not own this particular book, but there was just enough room left for it.

            "You need a new box," Marie commented.

            "I think I'm going to get some sort of cupboard with no windows that I can lock.  Put everything in there."  He shoved the box back under his bed.  If whatever Marie had gotten him needed to be hidden, it  could be put in his desk.

            She had wrapped it in red wrapping paper with cute little reindeer on it - not that he thought they were cute, oh no.  He was right; it was a book, a paperback book.  Zen and the Art of Motorcycles.  He gave Marie a one-armed hug.

            "Thanks Marie.  You have no idea of how long I've been looking for this book."  A beautiful smile appeared on her face.  She hadn't really been sure if it would be something he liked, or if he would already have it.

            "Glad you like it," she told him, still smiling.

            His heart did a double-thump at the smile that was still on her face.  He really had been looking for it after his original copy had blown up along with his trailer and truck.  But none of the bookstores that he had gone to seemed to carry it, or be able to get it.  Most annoying.

            "Yo, Roguey."  Jubilee stuck her head into Logan's room.  "You planning on eating breakfast today?  Come on."

            Logan tossed the book on his bed and followed Rogue down to breakfast.

*  *  *  *  *

            Rogue returned to her room after breakfast to try on her new clothes.  Nire was sitting on her bed, swinging her feet.  Apparently, Nire had a habit of appearing unexpectedly.

            "Hiya, Rogue.  'Sup?  Merry Christmas, Happy New Year.'

            "Hi Nire, how are you?"

            "Muy bien.  Having a good Christmas?"

            "Yeah.  You?"

            "_Hell_ yeah!  Man, I'm just raking in the gifts!  I got lotsa stuff fom my family, then I went to my house and got lotsa stuff cuz they feel guilty.  An' we're getting' almost two weeks off from school.  _Damn_, life is _fine_!"

            "What?" Rogue asked, totally confused.

            "What, what?"

            "Family, house, school what?"  Rogue sat down in her chair.

            "You really want to hear about my family situation and shit?"

            Rogue shrugged, quite aware that this could cause Nire to shut down.  "You have the most interesting life of anyone I know, so, yes."

            "O-kay.  My family is the guys you met, The Band.  That's my home.  However, there's also my biological family and my house, which is here on Earth.  Except, not here-here, it's in the past.  And, Khel's deal is that if I go to school and get good grades, he'll stay off my back about my…lifestyle."

            "Lifestyle?"

            "Yeah, my Robin Hood lifestyle.  Not all of my family approve of it, obviously.  Anyways, I just came here to give you this and wish you Merry Christmas."  Nire handed Rogue an envelope.

            "Thanks.  Hold on a second."  Rogue found her present for the now-sixteen-year-old and handed it over.  She knew that Nire was done talking about herself.  She was just as bad as Logan, in some respects.

            They both opened their Christmas presents.  Nire exclaimed over the charm bracelet and the delicate charms on it.  Inside the envelope, Rogue found a $100 bill and a Christmas card with a note inscribed, '_Hey.  I bite at buying people X-mas presents, so there you go, get what you want.  Thanks for putting up with me for those months.  Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and all that shit._'

            "Thanks, Nire," she said grinning.  "This is great.,"  She didn't really want to know where the money had come from.

            "So, wha'd Logan give you?" Nire asked.

            "A couple of RUSH CDs and a Disman."

            "Oo!"  This was the first time Rogue had ever seen Nire excited,  "You got RUSH CDs?  Which ones?"

            "Um," she grabbed them off the bed to check the titles, " 'Fly By Night' and 'A Farewell to Kings'."

            "Oh.  Thos are the two I have.  Listen to 'A Farewell to Kings' first.  'Fly By Night' can be sort of a turnoff because of the vocals.  But they're both ridiculously good CDs."

            "You've heard of them?"

            "Hell, yeah.  They're a late 70s, early 80s band.  As of 2002, they were still doing tours.  Damn, I wish I coulda gone to one of the concerts.  Hey, if you don't like the music, try reading the lyrics.  Those are the damned best lyrics I have ever seen.  'When they turn the pages of history/When these days have passed long ago/Will they read of us with sadness/For the seeds that we let grow'.  How can you beat that?"  Nire cocked her head slightly.  "I gotta go.  Breakfast is ready.  See ya later."

            "Bye Nire."  The girl motioned and hopped off the bed, disappearing immediately.

*  *  *  *  *

            It was half an hour to midnight on New Year's Eve.  Logan had been lurking in the big TV room with the rest of the school for the past half hour, waiting for Marie to show up.  She had been avoiding all doorways when people were around since they had put the mistletoe up before Christmas.  Logan had been doing the same, sick of seeing giggling teenage girls lurking at ever doorway.  He was going to go nuts if he had to watch one more 'Twilight Zone' episode.

            Kitty finally took pity on him and sidled up to his side.  "She's on the roof."

            "Who's on the roof?" he said nonchalantly.

            "Oh, don't be such a jackass," Kitty said.  She was growing less mild-mannered as she grew older.  "Everybody knows that you're just here waiting for Rogue.  She's on the roof and probably will be until just before the ball drops, if she comes inside at all.  If you had ever _been_ here around this time of year, you would know that.  And before you even ask, we aren't up there because she doesn't want us up there.  But I'm sure she would enjoy your company."  Before he could reply, she had walked back over to Bobby and was cuddling in a chair with the Iceman.

            Logan lingered for a couple moments, making a statement (even though he wasn't quite sure what the statement that he was making was), then wandered out.  Once he was out of sight of anyone in the room, he strode purposefully towards the stairs that led to the roof.  Climbing up those stairs, he could smell her scent - new, not the usual lingering smell.  Halfway up, he realized that he should probably go back to his room for a sweatshirt or something.

            When he finally made it to the top of the stairs, he stuck his head out the trap door.  "Mind if I join you?" he asked.

            Marie's head turned, and she flashed a smile at him.  "No, of course not.  Come on up," she said in her soft southern drawl.

            Looking at her in the faint moonlight, wrapped in her green cloak, her face palely glowing, she looked like an angel.  He walked across the slanted rooftop to sit by her side.  She automatically leaned into his side, just as he automatically put his arm around her.  He briefly wondered when such gestures had become automatic to them.

            "So, how come you aren't inside with everyone else, eagerly awaiting the ball to drop?" he asked quietly, so as not to disturb the mood.

            "Too noisy, too loud, too many people.  Ah prefer to spend New Year's Eve reflecting on the past year…" she trailed off.  "Oh, wow, that sounds really stupid."

            "Not coming from you," Logan replied.

            "Anyway, it's calm and peaceful here, and New Year's Eve tends to be one of the most beautiful nights of the year."

            The two were content just to sit and enjoy each other's company.  The air was crisp and clean, with a promise of approaching snow.  The stars glowed and twinkled in the midnight sky.  The sky wasn't black so much as a deep, velvety blue.  If they had been girlfriend/boyfriend, what they were doing now would be called cuddling or snuggling.  But when you were doing it with a friend, Logan wasn't sure what it was called.

            At exactly midnight, Marie's arm shot out and she pointed at the sky.  "Look!  A shooting star!"

            Their eyes tracked it across the night sky, following the blaze of bright light.  Superstitiously, Marie wished with all her heart that Logan would see that she had grown up since he had first met her Logan, himself, made a wish out of habit, wishing that things were different with him, his past, and things he had done since the experiments.  This was, in fact, the first time he had wished for anything other than answers.

            After a few moments, Marie said, "I suppose that we should go in now, before they lock us out."

            Logan nodded in agreement, and stood up, offering Marie a hand up.  He pulled her to her feet and they walked to the door together.  Logan went down the steep steps first, only getting three or four down before he froze.

            "What's the matter?" Marie asked as she almost ran into his back.

            He growled, a true rumble from deep in his throat.  "It's those stupid psychotic teenage bitches who've been trying to trap me under some mistletoe all fucking week.  This was a setup."

            Marie didn't bother asking why he played by their ruled - it was just something he did.  He wouldn't tell them to fuck off because that was against the rules, but he would spend the night on the roof.

            "What are you willing to do to get past them without breaking your strange rules?"

            "Almost anything," was his guarded answer.

            She lifted his arm and out it around her shoulders, then put her arm around his waist, all the while marveling at her own audacity.  "There.  Now you're safe because you're taken."

            Logan smiled at her.  "Brilliant, kid.  Absolutely brilliant."

            They walked down the stair together, and as Logan suspected, there was a sprig of mistletoe hung over the doorway, having magically appeared since he had gone outside.  He could almost feel the girls' disappointment as he came down with Rogue.

            HE saw the confusion plainly written on Marie's face when he stopped her inside the doorjamb, right underneath the sprig of green plant, and turned to face her.  Here was his chance to do what he had always wanted to do.  He saw the confusion turn to slight fear - fear of what her skin would do to him - as he bent down slowly, giving her enough time to pull away if she so chose.  She didn't, trusting him, and he pulled up the scarf around her neck to cover her lower face.  He kissed her chastely, gently, more than a kiss that a friend would give, but less than that of a lover - a kiss that summed up their relationship.  He straightened up, saying, "Happy New Year, kid."

            Anything that might have come after was ruined when a troupe of giggling girls appeared.  They were visibly disappointed when they saw Rogue with Logan.  They wandered by nonchalantly, whispering among themselves.  When they were gone, Logan shook his head in exasperation.

            "Why me?  Why can't they go pick on Scooter, or find some poor kid their own age?" he asked rhetorically as he moved out of the doorway.

            Rogue answered, anyway.  "Because nobody exudes the 'bad-boy' aura they're attracted to as well as you do.  Duh."

            Logan sighed.  "I need a beer.  You want one, too, kid?"

            Rogue shook her head.  "Ah think Ah'm going to go to bed.  Besides, Ah'm underage, remember?"

            Logan grabbed her wrist.  "C'mon, kid.  It's New Year's.  I'll cover your ass if Scooter catches you."

            Rogue grinned and was pulled along - not all that reluctantly - as Logan headed for his beer supply.


End file.
